Harebrained

Harebrained is an adjective used to describe ideas, plans, or actions that appear lacking in good sense, prudence, or solid judgment. In common usage it conveys disapproval and suggests that a course of action is reckless, unrealistic, or poorly thought out. The term is often applied to schemes or proposals rather than to people directly, though it can also refer to a person’s ideas as a whole. It is typically informal or colloquial, and may appear in journalism, editorial commentary, or everyday speech.

The expression derives from the old belief that a hare’s brain is small and unfit for sound reasoning; as a result, something described as harebrained is deemed foolish. The exact origin is uncertain, but the compound form hare-brained has been in use since at least the 19th century, with the one-word harebrained becoming common in more recent decades.

Spelling and tone: Both hare-brained and harebrained appear in modern English, with the one-word form prevailing in American usage; the hyphenated form is still found in older texts and some style guides. Because of its colloquial and pejorative sense, it is usually avoided in formal or technical writing. Related terms include imprudent, foolhardy, reckless, and rash, which carry similar but sometimes more specific nuances.