foolhardy

foolhardy — adjective

1. doing dangerous or risky things without enough thought about what could go wrong

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

doing dangerous or risky things without enough thought about what could go wrong

Example

Leila made a foolhardy attempt to climb the icy wall without any ropes.

foolhardy + noun for a risky action

It would be foolhardy to invest your entire savings in a single company.

it + be + foolhardy + to-infinitive pattern

Common collocations
  • foolhardy attempt
  • foolhardy plan
  • foolhardy decision
  • foolhardy move
  • foolhardy act
Synonyms
  • reckless

    focuses on carelessness and disregard for consequences; foolhardy adds the idea of foolishness to the risk

  • rash

    emphasises acting too quickly without thinking; foolhardy implies a bolder, more deliberate risk

  • daring

    carries a positive sense of courage; foolhardy is always negative

  • impulsive

    focuses on acting on sudden urges; foolhardy implies knowingly taking a dangerous risk

Antonyms
  • cautious

    carefully avoiding unnecessary risks

  • prudent

    showing good judgment and careful thought before acting

Grammar Patterns

foolhardy + noun

it + be + foolhardy + to-infinitive

call/consider + noun + foolhardy

Usage Note

Stronger than reckless — emphasises poor judgment and a lack of common sense, not just risk-taking. Often appears in formal or written narratives.

Common Mistakes

It was foolhardy of him to leave his phone at home.
It was foolish of him to leave his phone at home.
foolhardy requires an element of real danger or physical risk, not just poor judgment.
The children were foolhardy when they played hide-and-seek.
The children were being silly when they played hide-and-seek.
foolhardy is too strong for ordinary playful behaviour that lacks real danger.

Word family

  • foolhardiness
    nounC1
  • foolhardily
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe behaviour that involves risk, but they differ in tone and focus. Foolhardy is the most negative: it suggests someone has taken a dangerous risk while showing poor judgment — the risk was not just careless but also unwise. Reckless focuses on carelessness and a lack of concern for consequences; a reckless driver may know the road is icy but still speed. Rash emphasises haste — acting before thinking things through, as in a rash decision made in anger. Daring and bold are usually positive or neutral: daring implies courage to do something unconventional (a daring rescue), while bold suggests confidence and a willingness to take risks (a bold business move). To call a plan foolhardy is to criticise it as both dangerous and stupid, whereas calling it daring would praise the courage behind it. For example, jumping off a cliff into rough water is foolhardy; performing a well-practised dive from the same cliff into calm water is daring.

recklessrashdaring ↗bold ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • foolhardy + to-infinitive

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Foolhardy comes from Middle English folhardi, a combination of fool (from Old French fol, meaning 'foolish') and hardi (from Old French hardi, meaning 'bold' or 'courageous'). The word has kept this literal sense of 'foolishly bold' since the 13th century.