careless
Americanadjective
-
not paying enough attention to what one does.
a careless typist.
- Synonyms:
- reckless, indiscreet, unwary, incautious, inattentive
- Antonyms:
- careful
-
not exact, accurate, or thorough.
careless work.
- Synonyms:
- negligent, inaccurate
- Antonyms:
- careful
-
done or said heedlessly or negligently; unconsidered.
a careless remark.
- Synonyms:
- unmindful, unthoughtful
- Antonyms:
- careful
-
not caring or troubling; having no care or concern; unconcerned (usually followed by of, about, orin ).
careless of the rights of others;
careless about one's behavior;
careless in speech.
- Synonyms:
- inconsiderate, forgetful, thoughtless
- Antonyms:
- careful
-
possessed or caused without effort or art; unstudied.
careless beauty.
-
Archaic. free from anxiety.
adjective
-
done with or acting with insufficient attention; negligent
-
unconcerned in attitude or action; heedless; indifferent (to)
she's very careless about her clothes
-
(usually prenominal) carefree
-
(usually prenominal) unstudied; artless
an impression of careless elegance
Other Word Forms
- carelessly adverb
- carelessness noun
- overcareless adjective
- overcarelessly adverb
Etymology
Origin of careless
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English carlēas; care, -less
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
However, Baroness Kidron said it was "careless" of the prime minister to see the issue "through the lens of his own children".
From BBC
This evidently isn’t the first time he has been careless about a matter that touches her soul.
‘I have a moral and ethical conundrum’: My husband was killed by a careless driver.
From MarketWatch
A van driver who crashed into a broken-down car in a smart motorway's fast lane has been found guilty of causing death by careless driving.
From BBC
Only months later, shortly before our 10th anniversary, my husband was killed by a careless driver.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
