A foolish remark

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "A foolish remark" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a statement that is considered unwise or lacking in judgment. Example: "During the meeting, he made a foolish remark that left everyone in disbelief."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Her uninspiring rhetoric, gaffes, and a foolish remark about allowing the "real Julia" to emerge halfway through the campaign (who were we seeing before?) played into often sexist smears that she was a puppet of the hard-right men of her party.

The Guardian - Opinion

He particularly objected to the line, "medicine is broken," calling it a "foolish remark".

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The matter that they chose to transcribe was the subject of the notes: it was to be a selection of quotations, a sottisier, or anthology of foolish remarks.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Cherry resigned from the party and apologised for his "thoughtless and extremely foolish" remarks – which does seem a restrained understatement from the man responsible for conjuring up that richly redolent "sex volcano" image.

Independent

Jenny is in real trouble, and Carey Mulligan, who worked with Sarsgaard in the recent Broadway production of "The Seagull," makes her fallible but brave; her Jenny can make foolish remarks without seeming foolish as a person.

The New Yorker

You could argue that the Business Secretary's foolish remarks about his "war" with Rupert Murdoch were just as bad at one end of the spectrum as Mr Hunt's pro-Murdoch stance at the other.

Independent

The foolish remarks helped galvanize religious conservatives around the country, and they poured millions into the California campaign.

Huffington Post

Emerson famously remarked that "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines".

The New Yorker

Was his comment a foolish one?

The Guardian

As for Jules, she's the boss, though her female employees include a cringing assistant to whom Ben presumes to make remarks about weight, and a foolish woman who can't drive too well.

The Guardian - Film

It was an off-the-cuff remark, it may well have been a foolish one and I apologise for it".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "A foolish remark" to directly and concisely label a statement as lacking good judgment or being ill-considered. This phrase is most effective when the foolishness of the statement is clear and warrants a straightforward assessment.

Common error

Avoid using "A foolish remark" too frequently, as it can come across as overly critical or condescending. Consider using more nuanced descriptions or providing context to explain why the remark was problematic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "A foolish remark" functions primarily as a noun phrase acting as a subject complement or an appositive. It serves to characterize or label a specific statement as unwise or lacking in judgment. Examples from Ludwig demonstrate its use in evaluating comments made by individuals.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "A foolish remark" is a phrase used to denote a statement considered unwise or lacking in good judgment. As indicated by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and suitable for various contexts, though its directness may warrant careful consideration in formal settings. Analysis of its usage reveals that is more commonly found in News & Media. While the phrase is relatively uncommon, as evidenced by the limited number of examples, it serves a clear communicative purpose: to express disapproval or criticism of a particular statement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

An unwise comment

Replaces 'foolish' with 'unwise' and 'remark' with 'comment', focusing on the lack of wisdom in the statement.

An imprudent statement

Substitutes 'foolish' with 'imprudent' and 'remark' with 'statement', emphasizing the lack of caution.

A thoughtless comment

Replaces 'foolish' with 'thoughtless', highlighting the lack of consideration before speaking.

A silly statement

Replaces 'foolish' with 'silly', suggesting a lack of seriousness or intelligence.

A senseless utterance

Substitutes 'foolish' with 'senseless' and 'remark' with 'utterance', emphasizing the lack of meaning or reason.

An absurd comment

Replaces 'foolish' with 'absurd', indicating the statement is ridiculous or illogical.

A misguided statement

Replaces 'foolish' with 'misguided', implying the statement is based on flawed judgment.

A dumb thing to say

Uses a more informal tone, indicating the remark was unintelligent or ill-advised.

A boneheaded comment

Replaces 'foolish' with 'boneheaded', suggesting a lack of intelligence or common sense.

A fatuous observation

Substitutes 'foolish' with 'fatuous' and 'remark' with 'observation', indicating foolishness or inanity.

FAQs

What does "A foolish remark" mean?

The phrase "A foolish remark" refers to a statement or comment that is considered unwise, unintelligent, or lacking in good judgment.

What can I say instead of "A foolish remark"?

You can use alternatives like "an unwise comment", "a silly statement", or "a thoughtless comment" depending on the context.

Is "A foolish remark" a formal or informal expression?

"A foolish remark" is generally considered a neutral expression, suitable for both formal and informal contexts, though more formal settings might benefit from alternatives like "an imprudent statement".

How can I use "A foolish remark" in a sentence?

You can use "A foolish remark" to describe someone's statement, for example: "His comment about the company's financial status was "a foolish remark" that caused unnecessary panic."