1
as in goofy
lacking in seriousness or maturity
the movie follows the harebrained antics of a pair of stoners who seem incapable of growing up
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in foolish
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
a harebrained idea to go for a hike in an area where grizzly bear attacks had recently been reported
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harebrained
When his harebrained money-laundering scheme loses millions of the cartel’s cash, Hanson is caught in a web of dangerous debt, absurd criminal mishap and a huge FBI takedown.
—
Anthony D'alessandro,
Deadline,
28 Aug. 2025
Reggie’s resolve to fight against the rising tide inspires him to embark upon a harebrained scheme that involves con artistry and theatrical promotion.
—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
19 Aug. 2025
Here are some methods for scraping good music from the data wasteland, organized in a hierarchy from bottom-feeder basics to more sophisticated and ultimately, uhh, harebrained strategies.
—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
31 July 2025
More harebrained projects follow, and the family’s tilting house finally tumbles after neighbors and acquaintances slowly chip away at the building to repurpose many of the structure’s materials.
—
Anita Snow,
Boston Herald,
25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for harebrained
Anthony D'alessandro,
Deadline,
28 Aug. 2025
Reggie’s resolve to fight against the rising tide inspires him to embark upon a harebrained scheme that involves con artistry and theatrical promotion.
—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
19 Aug. 2025
Here are some methods for scraping good music from the data wasteland, organized in a hierarchy from bottom-feeder basics to more sophisticated and ultimately, uhh, harebrained strategies.
—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
31 July 2025
More harebrained projects follow, and the family’s tilting house finally tumbles after neighbors and acquaintances slowly chip away at the building to repurpose many of the structure’s materials.
—
Anita Snow,
Boston Herald,
25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for harebrained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harebrained
Adjective
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One detour led me to Paul Krassner, a founding member of the Yippies, a radical (and radically goofy) New Left group.
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Alongside Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley and his best friend, Shaggy Rogers, Scooby spent decades unmasking supposedly supernatural villains while winning over generations of fans with his goofy charm, insatiable appetite and signature catchphrases.
Adjective
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Further, Plato’s disdain for Gorgias, Antisthenes’ first teacher, and sophistry in general is clear; in the Platonic dialogue Gorgias, the titular character is made out to be rather foolish.
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One is villianized and one is made to look foolish.
Adjective
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Over the years, the visuals dramatically improve, from snuff film aesthetics to confidently silly splendor.
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The Alexa smart assistant is as good as ever, with tons of useful and silly skills, along with deep integration for ordering items via Amazon.
Adjective
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But even the most perfect Constitution can be undone by the wicked with the help of the bought, the stupid, and the cowardly.
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White can believe Hokit said something stupid and still believe fighters should be allowed to speak for themselves.
Adjective
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Uso’s conquest proved to be futile.
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Some days that hope can seem futile.
Adjective
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The 41-year-old is still an elite NBA player, which is still an absurd reality to consider.
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The thesis rests on a claim that would have sounded absurd a year ago.
Adjective
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Ureña, a 22-year-old right-hander who has emerged as another potential ace, speaks of Soriano with a giddy amusement mixed with a solemn respect for how the starter has survived in the big leagues.
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For now, the stock market and the credit market are telling slightly different stories about the same companies, one giddy and one wary.
Adjective
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For example, Fred Again is absolutely doing insane things with the MPC Lives.
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That dwarfs anything the powerhouse Spain teams did in the early 2010s, when the team was known for stringing together an insane number of passes that led to a goal.
Cite this Entry
“Harebrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harebrained. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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