irresponsible
Americanadjective
-
said, done, or characterized by a lack of a sense of responsibility.
His refusal to work shows him to be completely irresponsible.
- Synonyms:
- thoughtless, undependable, unreliable
-
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
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
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of irresponsible
First recorded in 1640–50; ir- 2 + responsible
Explanation
If you're irresponsible, you're careless about the consequences of your actions. You can't really rely on irresponsible people. Being irresponsible is the opposite of being responsible and careful — you do what you like and don't care what happens afterward. Forgetting to feed your dog for a week is irresponsible. Splashing around in a mud puddle in your new white pants is irresponsible. Drug use and unsafe sex are irresponsible. When the government runs up a huge deficit, many people think that's irresponsible. If you have to work with someone irresponsible, good luck: you're going to need it.
Vocabulary lists containing irresponsible
Word Generation Social Studies - Ancient Civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Rome
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"America the Not-So-Beautiful"
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Words from the First 2020 Presidential Debate
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We needn’t worry that they are being irresponsible, though.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
“I don’t think it should be irresponsible to defense,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
Newman said it was likely left there by an "irresponsible owner", stressing it is illegal to release non-native species into the wild because of the biodiversity impact.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
Not every proposed data center will be built, but having Arizona’s grid too heavily weighted toward one sector would be irresponsible, Gallego said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
It is a field in which the irresponsible amateur can have a continually mystifying sort of fun.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
