irresponsible

American  

[ir-i-spon-suh-buhl] / ˌɪr ɪˈspɒn sə bəl /

adjective

1. said, done, or characterized by a lack of a sense of responsibility.

   His refusal to work shows him to be completely irresponsible.

   Synonyms:

   thoughtless, undependable, unreliable

2. not capable of or qualified for responsibility, as due to age, circumstances, or a mental deficiency.

3. not responsible, answerable, or accountable to higher authority.

   irresponsible as a monarch.

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noun

1. an irresponsible person.

irresponsible British  

/ ˌɪrɪˈspɒnsəbəl /

adjective

1. not showing or done with due care for the consequences of one's actions or attitudes; reckless

2. not capable of bearing responsibility

3. archaic not answerable to a higher authority for one's actions

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Other Word Forms

• irresponsibility noun
• irresponsibleness noun
• irresponsibly adverb

Etymology

Origin of irresponsible

First recorded in 1640–50; ir- ² + responsible

Example Sentences

The gathering was among dozens of incidents of irresponsible behaviour Cairngorms park rangers encountered that year.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

“It would be very, very irresponsible for Western companies to continue to wait until we have a peaceful country,” Guy Robert Lukama, former chairman of Gécamines, Congo’s state-owned mining company, told the Journal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Until the underlying biology of so-called cured patients is better understood, they say, it’s premature, and perhaps even irresponsible, to use the term.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026

“However, any implication that Administration officials are engaged in such activity without evidence is baseless and irresponsible reporting.”

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2026

It is a field in which the irresponsible amateur can have a continually mystifying sort of fun.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Related Words

• capricious
• immature
• thoughtless