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Synonyms

devil-may-care

American  
[dev-uhl-may-kair] / ˈdɛv əl meɪˈkɛər /

adjective

  1. reckless; careless; rollicking.


devil-may-care British  

adjective

  1. 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


Vocabulary lists containing devil-may-care

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.

See Examples For:

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 ● Feb. 17, 2026

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 ● Dec. 18, 2024

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

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2024

Empathize with those who aren’t seeing better tidings despite his administration’s sunny, devil-may-care outlook.

From Slate ● Mar. 11, 2024

Johnny looked like a handsome, devil-may-care Irish boy instead of the husband of a scrubwoman and the father of two children who were always hungry.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

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