carelessness
Americannoun
-
failure to pay enough attention to what one is doing; sloppiness.
Unlike unavoidable error, a “mistake” in an experiment is something known to be incorrect due to accident, carelessness, or ineptitude.
-
lack of accuracy or thoroughness.
The many instances of carelessness in the book (with references, dates, etc.) detract from its value.
-
the fact or quality of being said or done thoughtlessly or negligently.
You were too quick to make promises you can’t possibly fulfill—which only shows the carelessness of your remarks.
-
lack of regard or concern for something (usually followed by of, about, for, ortoward ).
He was repulsed by their carelessness and cruelty toward those less fortunate.
Her rudeness and arrogance betray her carelessness for other people's feelings.
-
effortless or artless quality.
She is a highly intelligent academic who nevertheless speaks with the simplicity and carelessness of a child.
Other Word Forms
- overcarelessness noun
Etymology
Origin of carelessness
First recorded before 1000; careless ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )
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.
No deliberate cruelty wounds this dreamy girl, only carelessness and the cataclysm of her mother’s death, which signals “the last day of childhood.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026
He said the files were accessed due to "carelessness", using passwords shared on messaging apps.
From Barron's • Dec. 17, 2025
Until recently considered a sign of carelessness or even stupidity, the error is now seen by some to be the indelible fingerprint of a human wordsmith.
From Slate • Aug. 20, 2025
That brings us to the subplot of “Brazil” that resonates the loudest for today’s America: the arrest of an innocent man due to bureaucratic carelessness.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 7, 2025
“I only seek some wisdom for when I shall be married,” I said, affecting carelessness.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
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.
