irresponsible

[ ir-i-spon-suh-buhl ]

/ ˌɪr ɪˈspɒn sə bəl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR irresponsible ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

said, done, or characterized by a lack of a sense of responsibility: His refusal to work shows him to be completely irresponsible.

not capable of or qualified for responsibility, as due to age, circumstances, or a mental deficiency.

not responsible, answerable, or accountable to higher authority: irresponsible as a monarch.

noun

an irresponsible person.

Nearby words

irresolute, irresolution, irresolvable, irrespective, irrespirable, irresponsible, irresponsive, irresuscitable, irretentive, irretraceable, irretrievable

Origin of irresponsible

First recorded in 1640–50; ir-² + responsible

SYNONYMS FOR irresponsible

1 unreliable, undependable, thoughtless.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR irresponsible ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

ir·re·spon·si·bil·i·ty, ir·re·spon·si·ble·ness, nounir·re·spon·si·bly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for irresponsible

The most irresponsible comments however would have to be those of Donald Trump, since he should know better.
2014: Revenge of the Creationists|Karl W. Giberson|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In this context, and at this time, the action by Neil MacGregor and his Trustees might seem not merely naïve, but irresponsible.
Britain Has Lost Its Marbles: Elgin Loan Will Appease Putin|Geoffrey Robertson|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Conning people into buying a book to prepare for an "Ebola apocalypse" is not just irresponsible, it's pathetic.
The Sham, Scaremongering Guide to Ebola|Abby Haglage|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“I think the attacks on Fareed are distorted, irresponsible, and unfair,” Weisberg emailed.
Can Fareed Zakaria Survive A Plagiarism Firestorm?|Lloyd Grove|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST

This kind of irresponsible running of the mouth is precisely how medical conspiracies start.
George Will, Fox News, and the Beginning of an Ebola Conspiracy|Russell Saunders|October 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He should not be for one moment the victim of irresponsible power.
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 11 (of 12)|Robert G. Ingersoll
The passions and wild love and irresponsible deeds of the life he had lived in years gone by were here.
The World For Sale, Complete|Gilbert Parker
Peter, from being a care-free, irresponsible young groom, suddenly found himself beset with many and multiform anxieties.
Much Ado About Peter|Jean Webster
He complained of irresponsible Cabinet Ministers, and seemed to throw it upon that.
Memoirs of the Courts and Cabinets of George the Third|The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos
Fortunately for us, the Pandora carried a certain rollicking, irresponsible person as surgeon.
Voyage of H.M.S. Pandora|Edward Edwards

British Dictionary definitions for irresponsible

irresponsible

/ (ˌɪrɪˈspɒnsəbəl) /

adjective

not showing or done with due care for the consequences of one's actions or attitudes; reckless

not capable of bearing responsibility

archaic not answerable to a higher authority for one's actions

Derived Forms

irresponsibility or irresponsibleness, nounirresponsibly, adverb

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