reckless
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of reckless
First recorded before 900; Middle English rekles, Old English reccelēas “careless” (cognate with German ruchlos ); see reck, -less
Explanation
If you are reckless, you don't think or care about the consequences of your words or actions, like a reckless driver who speeds while texting, knitting, and eating a sandwich. The word reckless comes from the Old English word receleas, meaning "careless, thoughtless, heedless." If you have a reckless attitude, you aren't concerned about what happens to yourself or others who are affected by your actions. In this usage, reckless is the opposite of considerate. Reckless friends will invite people you don't know to your house because with your parents away, it's party time. Surprise!
Vocabulary lists containing reckless
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 4
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Anti-Antonyms: Words Without Opposites
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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.
The Los Angeles Police Department said they began pursuing the suspected reckless driver near Imperial Highway and Main Street around 12:55 a.m., according to the LAPD.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
"What makes this reckless behaviour even more appalling is that in some cases it is being done for social media likes regardless of the potentially devastating impact it might have on innocent people and themselves."
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
When Baby Boomers were young, they were reckless.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
Mr. Mamdani’s office says Amazon and others use subcontractors “to shield them from responsibility,” which “leaves workers vulnerable and corporations free to avoid accountability for reckless conditions on city streets.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
It tore and tumbled and he was swung around like someone dragged against his will into a reckless dance.
From "Abel's Island" by William Steig
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.
