foolish decisions

USAGE SUMMARY

"foolish decisions" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe choices that are unwise or lacking in good judgment. For example: "His foolish decisions led to significant losses for the company." Alternative expressions include "ill-advised choices" and "poor judgments."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

He should worry about making foolish decisions.

The Economist

And we helped them with some of our foolish decisions".

The New York Times - Sports

And when companies are blinded by their own saliva, they can make foolish decisions.

The Economist

Indeed, some companies appear to have made foolish decisions in declining hostile offers.

The New York Times

People make foolish decisions with their own money as well as others'.

The Economist

That matters because the different kinds of seemingly foolish decisions call for different responses.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

It was a foolish decision.

The Guardian

And I've never seen a more foolish decision.

The New York Times

"I think it's a foolish decision," he said.

The Guardian

Pigheaded pursuit of a foolish decision is not courageous.

The New York Times

It was a destructive and incredibly foolish decision on multiple levels.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair the phrase with a specific context (e.g. "foolish decisions in the stock market") to provide clear informative value to the reader.

Common error

While the phrase is found in news and opinion pieces, avoid it in objective scientific papers. In those contexts, terms like "suboptimal selection" or "erroneous judgment" are preferred as they avoid assigning emotional or moral weight to the data.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "foolish decisions" functions as a noun phrase where "foolish" acts as an attributive adjective modifying the plural noun "decisions". According to Ludwig AI, it is used to denote a specific category of actions characterized by a lack of wisdom or common sense. It often serves as the direct object of verbs like "make", "avoid" or "regret".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Business & Finance

15%

Sports Analysis

10%

Less common in

Scientific Research

4%

Social Media

3%

Legal Documents

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "foolish decisions" is a robust and effective phrase for describing lapses in judgment within a professional or semi-formal context. As demonstrated by the 26 exact examples in Ludwig, it is a preferred term for elite journalists and analysts when they need to critique leadership or personal choices without resorting to slang. It is grammatically "Correct" and highly versatile, though writers should consider more clinical alternatives like "erroneous logic" when writing for a purely scientific audience. Overall, it remains a powerful tool for clear and descriptive English writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ill-advised choices

More formal and suggests a lack of proper consultation or foresight

poor judgments

Focuses on the cognitive failure behind the action rather than the action itself

irrational decisions

Implies a lack of logic or a conflict with sound reasoning

imprudent actions

A more professional or legalistic way to describe lack of caution

reckless moves

Emphasizes the danger or high risk involved in the choice

unwise selections

A neutral alternative often used in consumer or technical contexts

misguided steps

Suggests the intention might have been good but the direction was wrong

fatuous choices

A more literary and severe critique implying total silliness

shortsighted policies

Specific to organizational or political contexts involving long-term impact

suboptimal outcomes

Used in economics or science to describe choices that failed to maximize utility

FAQs

What can I say instead of "foolish decisions"?

Depending on your context, you can use more formal phrases like "ill-advised choices", "poor judgments" or "irrational actions".

Is "foolish decisions" considered formal English?

It is considered neutral to semi-formal. It is perfectly acceptable in journalism and business writing, though it might be slightly too descriptive for purely technical or legal documents.

How do I use "foolish decisions" in a sentence?

A common way to use it is: "The company's recent loss was the direct result of several foolish decisions made by the board last year."

What is the difference between "foolish decisions" and "stupid decisions"?

While they mean roughly the same thing, "stupid decisions" is much more informal and can be seen as insulting. "foolish decisions" is more appropriate for professional or analytical writing.