insouciant

American  

[in-soo-see-uhnt, an-soo-syahn] / ɪnˈsu si ənt, ɛ̃ suˈsyɑ̃ /

adjective

1. free from concern, worry, or anxiety; carefree; nonchalant.

   Synonyms:

   unconcerned, easygoing, relaxed, breezy, jaunty, lighthearted

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insouciant British  

/ ɪnˈsuːsɪənt /

adjective

1. carefree or unconcerned; light-hearted

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Other Word Forms

• insouciance noun
• insouciantly adverb

Etymology

Origin of insouciant

First recorded in 1820–30; from French, equivalent to in- in- ³ + souciant “worrying,” present participle of soucier “to worry,” from Vulgar Latin sollicītāre (unrecorded), from Latin sollicitāre “to disturb”; solicitous

Explanation

Only people with no real troubles can afford to be insouciant during times like these. Runway models are great at looking insouciant, strolling the catwalk apparently without a care in the world. Some prefer their musical idols to be insouciant, seeming not to care what their fans think or want. Others like them more eager to please, happy to take requests and engage. The two obvious examples are Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis. Armstrong would smile and encourage the audience to participate, while Davis was the insouciant master who showed no concern for or interest in what his listeners might prefer: some people found his insouciant manner irresistible.

Example Sentences

This column had a couple of great calls, to buy Treasurys at the start of the year and to fear tariffs when the market was insouciant about import taxes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 28, 2025

Irvine's outspoken, insouciant character fitted well with the team.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2025

Two years ago, a normally insouciant defense consultant with a high security clearance told me that a briefing he’d recently received on Russia and China’s anti-satellite, or ASAT, programs left him “shaken.”

From Slate • Feb. 15, 2024

Reva said he was confident that the soul of Odesa — insouciant, sardonic, seductive — would survive the war.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 17, 2023

In this setting, another, more insouciant company had hunkered down.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan