ill-founded — Not based on facts, evidence, or good reasoning; lacking a solid basis
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: Not based on facts, evidence, or good reasoning; lacking a solid basis
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌɪlˈfaʊndɪd/
Example Sentences
- His ill-founded fear of cats began after he watched one too many horror movies about killer kittens.
- The rumor about the CEO secretly being a robot turned out to be completely ill-founded.
- Her ill-founded confidence going into the exam led to a very disappointing result.
ill-founded
ADJECTIVE[/ˌɪlˈfaʊndɪd/]
Not based on facts, evidence, or good reasoning; lacking a solid basis
His ill-founded rumor about the mayor collapsed the moment reporters checked the facts.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From 'ill' (Old Norse illr, meaning bad) combined with 'founded' (past participle of 'found', from Latin fundare, to lay a foundation). Literally means 'badly established.'
Breakdown
ill- (badly) + found- (to establish, from Latin fundare) + -ed (adjective suffix)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“His ill-founded fear of cats began after he watched one too many horror movies about killer kittens.”
“The rumor about the CEO secretly being a robot turned out to be completely ill-founded.”
“Her ill-founded confidence going into the exam led to a very disappointing result.”
“The lawyer argued that the accusations against his client were ill-founded and lacked any solid evidence.”
📚Related Words
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