harebrained

or hair·brained

[ hair-breynd ]

adjective

1. giddy; reckless.

   Synonyms: dimwitted, scatterbrained, half-baked, rattlebrained

harebrained

/ ˈhɛəˌbreɪnd /

adjective

1. rash, foolish, or badly thought out

   harebrained schemes

Other Words From

• harebrainedly adverb
• harebrainedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of harebrained¹

First recorded in 1545–55; hare + brained

Example Sentences

Watch it on HBO MaxKate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey’s performances in this harebrained movie are straight-up bonkers—and that’s a compliment.

From Time

It’s how we got from a guy carping about supposed voter fraud in an election he won, in 2016, to a guy spurring a harebrained effort to overturn the 2020 election, which he lost.

From Washington Post

With six weeks left in the season, the entire NFC outside of the harebrained NFC East is effectively playing for playoff seeding or draft position.

From Washington Post

In many circles, “Scientology” has become a stand-in for a certain harebrained strain of Hollywood religiosity.

From The Daily Beast

“It was kind of a harebrained scheme,” says a former top Republican House official.

From The Daily Beast

Paul, to be fair, is a principled isolationist, which is a harebrained position but not a dishonest one.

From The Daily Beast

His harebrained manner rendered him insupportable to me, and my coldness drew upon me his aversion.

From Project Gutenberg

Then followed an act of heroism and harebrained enterprise which is now the talk of the whole army.

From Project Gutenberg

The Irish setter was a wild, undisciplined pup, harebrained and headlong after the manner of his breed.

From Project Gutenberg

I had come with my harebrained followers over a thousand leagues of sea,and for what?

From Project Gutenberg

She rallied Russian patriotism to her side by advising that no notice be taken of this harebrained suggestion.

From Project Gutenberg