foolish reason

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "foolish reason" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a justification or explanation that lacks sound logic or is considered silly. Example: "His decision to skip the meeting was based on a foolish reason that no one could take seriously."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

There are all sorts of reasons Republicans are being penny-wise and pound-foolish.

The Washington Post

The Israeli and French conspirators had their own foolish reasons for going along; significantly, the United States was kept in the dark.

The New York Times - Books

It may even look a little foolish for that reason.

The New Yorker

But using a weak dollar to create American jobs is foolish, for two reasons.

University of California, Berkeley

Unless I were to choose to plunge into the heart of the action, which would be foolish for obvious reasons.

Huffington Post

Nevertheless, she considers him a good man and a brilliant librettist, and when he does foolish things she finds reasons.

The New Yorker

There's no reason to be foolish about anything, just work my way in".

The New York Times - Sports

Privatizing Lambert International Airport would be foolish for a number of reasons.

HuffPost

Conservatives, according to Flanders, could find themselves offering "reasoned objections to foolish proposals" by emotionally motivated liberals.

Wikipedia

Stier, a divorced mother of two who lives in Irvington, New York, decided to take up the SATs for the same reason we all do foolish things: out of love.

The New Yorker

For the same reason, it would be foolish to tell them about overhauling the welfare state in advance of the Andalusian election.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "foolish reason", ensure the context clearly demonstrates the lack of sound judgment or logic behind the reason. Provide specific details to illustrate why the reason is considered foolish.

Common error

Avoid simply stating that something is a "foolish reason" without explaining why. Provide context or evidence to support your claim. Otherwise, it may come across as an unsupported opinion rather than a reasoned argument.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "foolish reason" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "foolish" modifies the noun "reason". It typically acts as a subject complement or an object in a sentence, describing the nature of the reason provided. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Academia

33%

Science

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

17%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "foolish reason" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe a justification lacking logic or good judgment. While Ludwig AI confirms its usability, the limited number of exact matches suggests it's not a highly frequent expression. Alternative phrases like "illogical rationale" or "silly excuse" can be used to convey similar meanings. When employing this phrase, ensure you provide context to illustrate why the reason is considered foolish, and bear in mind its potentially critical tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

illogical rationale

Replaces "foolish" with "illogical" and "reason" with "rationale", focusing on the lack of logical thinking.

irrational explanation

Substitutes "foolish" with "irrational" and "reason" with "explanation", highlighting the absence of reason or logic.

absurd justification

Substitutes "foolish" with "absurd" and "reason" with "justification", highlighting the ridiculous nature of the explanation.

silly excuse

Replaces "foolish" with "silly" and "reason" with "excuse", indicating a frivolous or trivial explanation.

unwise motive

Changes "foolish" to "unwise" and "reason" to "motive", focusing on the poor judgment behind the driving force.

stupid consideration

Substitutes "foolish" with "stupid" and "reason" with "consideration", emphasizing the lack of intelligence behind the thought process.

brainless pretext

Replaces "foolish" with "brainless" and "reason" with "pretext", emphasizing the lack of intelligence behind the stated intention.

senseless ground

Changes "foolish" to "senseless" and "reason" to "ground", focusing on the lack of meaning or purpose.

inane cause

Replaces "foolish" with "inane" and "reason" with "cause", indicating a lack of substance or importance.

fatuous basis

Changes "foolish" to "fatuous" and "reason" to "basis", focusing on the foolish and baseless foundation.

FAQs

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

You can use "foolish reason" to describe a justification that lacks logic or common sense. For example, "His decision to quit his job was based on a "foolish reason" that no one could understand."

What are some alternatives to saying "foolish reason"?

Alternatives to "foolish reason" include "silly excuse", "absurd justification", or "illogical rationale" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "foolish reason" since a reason should be logical?

While a reason ideally should be logical, the phrase "foolish reason" is used for emphasis or to highlight the clear lack of logic. It's similar to saying "bad decision"; although decisions should ideally be good, the phrase is used to emphasize the poor quality of the decision.

What's the difference between "foolish reason" and "weak reason"?

While both suggest a problem with the reason, "foolish reason" implies the reason is silly, illogical, or shows poor judgment. "Weak reason" simply means the reason is unconvincing or doesn't adequately support the claim, but it may not necessarily be illogical.