irresponsible

[ir-i-spon-suh-buhl]

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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

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 formsir·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

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 Formsirresponsibility 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

Word Origin and History for irresponsible

irresponsible

adj.

1640s, "not legally answerable for conduct or actions," from assimilated form of in- (1) "not, opposite of" + responsible. Meaning "not acting with a sense of responsibility" is from 1680s. Related: Irresponsibly.