imprudent

/im'pru:dənt/

Thân thiện

An imprudent driver speeds through a yellow light at a busy intersection.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Lacking discretion or wisdom; not showing care for the consequences of an action: Describes an action, decision, or person that is rash, unwise, or fails to consider potential risks.
   • Not prudent: The direct opposite of being prudent, which means acting with or showing care and thought for the future.

Usage and Examples

• General Use:

  • Making an imprudent investment without research can lead to significant financial loss.
  • It was imprudent to go hiking without checking the weather forecast first.

• Describing Speech or Remarks:

  • The politician's imprudent comments during the interview caused a public relations crisis.
  • He later regretted his imprudent promise, which he knew he couldn't keep.

• Describing Character or Behavior:

  • Her imprudent spending habits left her in debt.
  • An imprudent driver who speeds in bad weather is a danger to everyone.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• "Imprudent" vs. "Impulsive": While both can describe unwise actions, imprudent specifically highlights a lack of foresight and judgment regarding consequences. Impulsive emphasizes acting suddenly without thought, driven by a whim or emotion. An impulsive act is often imprudent, but an imprudent act can be the result of poor planning rather than a sudden urge.
• Formal Context: The word is commonly used in formal, academic, or professional writing (e.g., legal, economic, policy discussions) to critique decisions lacking in caution.
  • The committee deemed the proposal imprudent given the current fiscal constraints.

Variants and Related Words

• Imprudence (noun): The quality or fact of being imprudent; an imprudent act.
  • The imprudence of his actions became clear only after the accident.
• Imprudently (adverb): In an imprudent manner.
  • He imprudently shared confidential information.

Synonyms

• Rash: Acting too hastily without consideration.
• Reckless: Utterly careless of the consequences of an action.
• Injudicious: Showing very poor judgment; unwise.
• Foolhardy: Boldly reckless; daring in a foolish way.
• Unwise: Not wise or sensible; foolish.

Antonyms

• Prudent: Acting with or showing care and thought for the future.
• Cautious: Careful to avoid potential problems or dangers.
• Judicious: Having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense.
• Sensible: Chosen in accordance with wisdom or prudence; reasonable.

Idiomatic Expressions and Phrases

• "Imprudent in the extreme": Used for emphasis to describe something as exceptionally unwise.
  • Leaving your wallet on the park bench was imprudent in the extreme.
• "Nothing is more imprudent than...": A rhetorical structure used to strongly advise against a specific action.
  • In business, nothing is more imprudent than failing to understand your market.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. lacking wise self-restraint
   • an imprudent remark
2. not prudent or wise
   • very imprudent of her mother to encourage her in such silly romantic ideas
   • would be imprudent for a noneconomist to talk about the details of economic policy- A.M.Schlesinger