Synonyms

devil-may-care

American

[dev-uhl-mey-kair] / ˈdɛv əl meɪˈkɛər /

adjective

reckless; careless; rollicking.

devil-may-care British

adjective

careless or reckless; happy-go-lucky

a devil-may-care attitude

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of devil-may-care

First recorded in 1785–95

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.

The lime-green background and blurry typography on the cover of her sixth album, “Brat,” quickly became internet shorthand for the season’s pursuit of devil-may-care indulgence and personal adventure.

From The Wall Street Journal

So much of Calloway’s persona rested on her brilliant ideas tempered by charming ineptitude, her devil-may-care approach to her own fame.

From Los Angeles Times

With dark blond hair and hazel eyes, Denise had a youthful beauty and hid her tough circumstances under a devil-may-care attitude.

From Los Angeles Times

So, with that history, I just threw everything into it in a kind of devil-may-care way.

From Salon

For her, Gary constructs Ron, a dashing, swaggering fellow with devil-may-care insouciance and a hint of real danger.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023