irresponsible

[ ir-i-spon-suh-buhl ]

/ ˌɪr ɪˈspɒn sə bəl /

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See synonyms for: irresponsible / irresponsibility / irresponsibly 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.

OTHER WORDS FOR irresponsible

1 unreliable, undependable, thoughtless.

See synonyms for irresponsible on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.

Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

true

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Origin of irresponsible

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

OTHER WORDS FROM irresponsible

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

Words nearby irresponsible

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use irresponsible in a sentence

At the time, baseball’s plan to return without bubbles opened with scores of positive tests and seemed risky if not irresponsible.
Sports during a pandemic seemed like a terrible idea, but they have been worth the risk|Barry Svrluga|February 1, 2021|Washington Post
You know, we thought they were harming patients and irresponsible.
How to Fix the Incentives in Cancer Research (Ep. 449)|Stephen J. Dubner|January 28, 2021|Freakonomics
In the government, you have officials who can take irresponsible, populist views that they think the public wants to hear that are contrary, not only to morality and ethics, but also to public health interests.
“Everyone is impressed by Israeli vaccination, but I don’t think we’re a success story”|Lindsay Muscato|January 22, 2021|MIT Technology Review
With their well-being in mind, it would be irresponsible if I didn’t speak out about the climate crisis.
How company leaders can take an active role on climate change|Clay Wilkes|January 21, 2021|Quartz

The time travel fantasy is pure escapism, which is to say it’s both optimistic and wholly irresponsible.
Inauguration Day was a milestone, but it’s not the destination|Monica Hesse|January 20, 2021|Washington Post
But what is there more irresponsible than playing with the fire of an imagined civil war in the France of today?
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
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
For days after I returned I wandered about out-of-doors in a gay irresponsible mood, and carolled all over the house.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
Our friends would call you eminently 85 practical, I suppose, and the irresponsible lady sighed.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage|Gertrude W. Morrison
Drunkards are not frequent sights in the Quarter; and yet when these people do get drunk, they become as irresponsible as maniacs.
The Real Latin Quarter|F. Berkeley Smith
Something in the childlike attitude, the placid, irresponsible face, brought the old servant's impatience to a climax.
The Dragon Painter|Mary McNeil Fenollosa
Irresponsible as he is, he must be allowed to move about without anything to distract his attention.
The Circular Study|Anna Katharine Green

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 of irresponsible

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

irresponsible

OTHER WORDS FOR irresponsible

Origin of irresponsible

OTHER WORDS FROM irresponsible

Words nearby irresponsible

Words related to irresponsible

How to use irresponsible in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for irresponsible

Derived forms of irresponsible