recklessly

American  

[rek-lis-lee] / ˈrɛk lɪs li /

adverb

1. with no concern about the consequences of one's action; carelessly.

   He lived recklessly, without any regard for his own safety or the safety of others.

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Etymology

Origin of recklessly

reckless ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

Acting recklessly means doing something without stopping to think about the consequences of your action. If you recklessly throw a football near your neighbor's house, you may end up paying to repair a broken window. The adverb recklessly is nearly the same as carelessly, with one difference: doing something recklessly implies that your action is potentially dangerous in some way. Driving recklessly is always a terrible idea, as is recklessly spending every last dollar in your bank account. This risky word can be traced back to the Old English receleas, "careless, thoughtless, or heedless."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

recklessly

The researchers concluded that these participants were not simply behaving more recklessly.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026

For police, AVs have their upsides: Most of the time they drive less recklessly than humans do, they typically cap their maximum speeds, and they never fail a breathalyzer test.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

“The attorneys knowingly or recklessly made false statements to this Court.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026

Your friend could petition the court to remove her sister as trustee or POA holder, if the sister did indeed act unethically or recklessly.

From MarketWatch ● May 25, 2026

Hours upon hours he had watched birds from his pen, quivering at the sight of them slicing the sky as recklessly as the lightning he often saw on summer evenings.

From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker

Related Words

• carelessly
• foolishly