foolhardy

Foolhardy is an adjective used to describe actions or attitudes characterized by excessive or thoughtless risk-taking. It denotes boldness that disregards potential danger, often resulting in imprudent or reckless decisions. In contemporary usage, foolhardy carries a negative evaluation, implying a failure to assess risk rather than true bravery.

The term combines fool and hardy and dates from the early modern period. It expresses a judgment that what appears to be courage is in fact misguided risk-taking. The word can be applied to individuals, plans, or conduct in situations such as adventure, sports, business ventures, or political expeditions.

Foolhardy should not be confused with courageous or brave; it emphasizes imprudence rather than noble determination. It is closely related to synonyms such as rash, reckless, imprudent, or impetuous, though foolhardy often implies a more conspicuously reckless disregard for consequences. The noun form is foolhardiness.

Examples:

- Jumping a broken bridge to prove a point was a foolhardy act.

- The captain’s foolhardy gamble with the storm endangered the crew.

See also: rash, reckless, imprudent; prudent, cautious. The term is common in journalism and narrative writing as a negative evaluation of risk-taking.