HAREBRAINED Synonyms: 185 Similar and Opposite Words

harebrained

adjective

ˈher-ˈbrānd

Definition of harebrained

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

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of harebrained 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 Cuomo staying in the race could make for the most unpredictable, harebrained mayoral election that New York has had since 1977. — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 3 July 2025 One of Steve’s harebrained schemes involves founding a movie theater speakeasy, for which the film-loving pair decides to pinch the private print at the following week’s engagement. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for harebrained

Recent Examples of Synonyms for harebrained

Adjective

So when Billie and Issa get an actual offer for drinks with two firefighters who come to the house, Billie puts on a goofy British accent à la Issa and turns them down, choosing a quiet night at home with her friend instead.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
That was therapeutic for these professional dancers who got to be silly and goofy, but confidently.

— Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of goofy

Adjective

Playing the part largely for laughs, Moore actually has more in common with Lazenby than Connery; his Bond is softer and sillier than the original, an approach Moore would double down on in later films — often to the chagrin of Bond purists.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2026
For Lance Oppenheim, Primetime’s DNA resides inside a silly Cameo video.

— David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of silly

Adjective

Far too much coverage of declining trust in science — particularly the anti-vaccine movement — is predicated on the assumption that its adherents are either stupid or crazy.

— Rick Berke, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026
The Dodge Durango Hellcat is the most accessible way to go stupid-fast in a three-row family car thanks to the Escalade V‘s high price tag.

— Byron Hurd, The Drive, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of stupid

Adjective

In sick bay, M’Benga tries to remove the table and end his life so Chapel can give up on him, an effort that proves futile.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Its storyline spins the futile, determined chase of Wile to one day capture Roadrunner as something admirable, and applies that underdog mentality to the average person trying to navigate a late capitalist landscape that values profits over people.

— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of futile

Adjective

The Appalachian Trail is absolutely brutal The distance alone is obviously absurd, but mileage is only part of what makes the AT such a beast.

— Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
The selection process does not judge whether a study is admirable or absurd, good or bad.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of absurd

Adjective

The attendees were hip, all ages, and slightly giddy, ready to have whales blow their minds.

— Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Newcomers Álvarez and Knight couldn’t be better in their newlywed roles, convincing in their giddy love scenes, their casual affections, their unwanted suspicions and, most of all, their terror at whatever is lurking in the air and in their souls.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of giddy

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“Harebrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harebrained. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of harebrained

adjective

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