insouciance

American  

[in-soo-see-uhns, an-soo-syahns] / ɪnˈsu si əns, ɛ̃ suˈsyɑ̃s /

noun

1. the quality of being insouciant; lack of care or concern; indifference.

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Etymology

Origin of insouciance

From French, dating back to 1790–1800; insouciant, -ance

Explanation

Insouciance is a feeling of careless indifference. There's a certain amount of lightheartedness in insouciance, but rather than merely being cheerful, someone with insouciance truly couldn't care less. Insouciance has roots in the French in, meaning "not," and se soucier, meaning "to care," giving the English word its "uncaring" meaning. Insouciance can be a positive state — like the childlike insouciance you feel when you are watching cartoons instead of paying your bills. However, insouciance is not always so sunny. Young voters are often accused of treating the right to vote with insouciance, meaning they just can't be bothered.

Example Sentences

Let’s hope his insouciance isn’t as contagious as the virus.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

The Australian, who was ranked 13th in the world at his peak, played with an air of insouciance throughout.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025

Seberg’s haircut in the original film, a super-short, blond pixie cut, rewrote fashion trends around the world and encapsulated a spirit of youthful, diffident insouciance.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 20, 2025

The juvenile insouciance of Blenkin’s trillionaire is one, a grinning imp who waves his bare feet around in the way of someone who means every offense.

From Salon • Aug. 5, 2025

Chamberlin had planned the meeting as a trap to try to shatter Holmes’s imperturbable façade, and was impressed with Holmes’s ability to maintain his insouciance despite the rancor in the room.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

Related Words

• alienation
• apathy
• callousness
• carelessness
• disdain
• disinterest
• disregard
• inattention
• inertia
• insensitivity
• lack
• negligence
• nonchalance