harebrained

American  

[hair-breynd] / ˈhɛərˌbreɪnd /

Or hairbrained

adjective

1. giddy; reckless.

   Synonyms:

   dimwitted, half-baked, scatterbrained, rattlebrained

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harebrained British  

/ ˈhɛəˌbreɪnd /

adjective

1. rash, foolish, or badly thought out

   harebrained schemes

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Other Word Forms

• harebrainedly
  adverb
• harebrainedness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of harebrained

First recorded in 1545–55; hare + brained

Explanation

Something that's harebrained is reckless or foolish. Sometimes, harebrained ideas work out just fine — several people have survived trips over Niagara Falls in a barrel, for example. If you have what you think is a great idea, but someone else calls it a harebrained scheme, it means they think you'd be a fool to try it. For example, your harebrained plan to ride your bike on the highway is bound to get you in trouble. The 16th century harebrained came from the earlier harebrain, "giddy or reckless person," from the common impression of a rabbit or a hare as being nervous and skittish.

Example Sentences

Allen probably has more in common with Ryan Routh, who famously infiltrated Trump International Golf Course in a harebrained scheme to take down the then–Republican presidential nominee.

From Slate • May 1, 2026

“It was the most harebrained operation I’d seen in my 38 years with the U.S. government,” Nagy said, referring to the methods used this year.

From Salon • Dec. 16, 2025

The scheme seemed as harebrained as it was cruel, and Martinez offered little to lend clarity.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2025

As it happened, this scheme turned out to be even more harebrained than was evident at face value.

From New York Times • Apr. 4, 2024

I stared at that hand for a half second before acting on instinct and harebrained desperation.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin