extremely foolish

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "extremely foolish" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an action, decision, or behavior that is considered very unwise or lacking in good judgment. Example: "Investing all your savings in that unproven startup is extremely foolish."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

39 human-written examples

They were thoughtless and extremely foolish.

Independent

He was, said Mills, "extremely foolish".

The Guardian

"It would be extremely foolish to replace David.

Independent

He does, however, humbly add for good measure that it was "extremely foolish" on his part.

Independent

He said: "I think it makes the BBC look extremely foolish.

The Guardian

"We call on the BBC Trust to reverse this extremely foolish and dangerous decision".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

21 human-written examples

Former World Service managing director John Tusa dubbed it a "facile" rush to commercialism, while the National Union of Journalists said it was "extremely dangerous and foolish".

The Guardian

We appreciated the moral focus of @anglescott's "Extremely Proud and Incredibly Foolish".

The New Yorker

It is not unusual for the extremely good to seem foolish or naive, and so it was with her.

The New York Times - Books

That was one thing they agreed on, deep in the bones -- that happiness, pleasure, fulfillment were goals suitable only for the naïve and foolish or extremely lucky.

The New York Times - Books

He did not believe the pupil deliberately set out to injure Alexis, but indulged in a "foolish prank", the extremely serious consequences of which she did not anticipate.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the audience and adjust the intensity of the phrase accordingly. While "extremely foolish" is relatively mild, more formal or sensitive contexts may benefit from alternatives such as "highly imprudent" or "utterly unwise".

Common error

Avoid using "extremely foolish" in highly formal or academic writing. Opt for stronger, more precise vocabulary that demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the situation. Alternatives like "patently absurd" or "thoroughly misguided" may be more suitable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "extremely foolish" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe something as highly imprudent or lacking good judgment. As illustrated by Ludwig, it is often used to evaluate actions, decisions, or ideas.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Wiki

8%

Science

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Academia

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "extremely foolish" is a grammatically sound and commonly used adjective phrase that serves to describe something as highly imprudent or lacking good judgment. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. While versatile, it's most frequently found in news and media contexts, suggesting a neutral to slightly informal register. When choosing an alternative, consider options like "utterly unwise" or "highly imprudent" to maintain the intended meaning. Remember to adjust the intensity and formality based on the specific context and audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

utterly unwise

Changes "foolish" to "unwise" and "extremely" to "utterly", emphasizing a lack of wisdom.

highly imprudent

Replaces "foolish" with "imprudent" and "extremely" with "highly", suggesting a lack of caution.

exceptionally unwise

Replaces "foolish" with "unwise" and "extremely" with "exceptionally", heightening the sense of poor judgment.

terribly unwise

Changes "foolish" to "unwise" and "extremely" to "terribly", emphasizing a strong lack of wisdom.

remarkably silly

Substitutes "foolish" with "silly" and "extremely" with "remarkably", indicating a lack of seriousness or sense.

patently absurd

Changes "foolish" to "absurd" and "extremely" to "patently", suggesting something is obviously ridiculous.

thoroughly misguided

Replaces "foolish" with "misguided" and "extremely" with "thoroughly", indicating a complete misunderstanding or misdirection.

quite irrational

Changes "foolish" to "irrational" and "extremely" to "quite", suggesting a lack of reason.

downright daft

Substitutes "foolish" with "daft" and "extremely" with "downright", indicating a lack of intelligence or common sense.

plain stupid

Replaces "foolish" with "stupid" and "extremely" with "plain", suggesting a lack of intelligence.

FAQs

What does "extremely foolish" mean?

The phrase "extremely foolish" describes an action, decision, or behavior that is considered very unwise, lacking in good judgment, or outright stupid. It indicates a significant departure from what would be considered sensible or prudent.

How can I use "extremely foolish" in a sentence?

You can use "extremely foolish" to describe someone's actions. For example, "It would be "utterly unwise" to invest all your money in that venture," or, "Ignoring the warning signs was an "exceptionally unwise" decision."

What are some synonyms for "extremely foolish"?

Alternatives to "extremely foolish" include phrases like "highly imprudent", "utterly unwise", "remarkably silly", or "exceptionally unwise". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "extremely foolish"?

The phrase "extremely foolish" is suitable for general use when describing something considered very unwise. However, in more formal or academic contexts, consider using a more precise or nuanced alternative such as "thoroughly misguided".