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

"Back to fight IQ. Back to the gameplan and not just swinging recklessly."

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

These are delicate waters to splash around in so recklessly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Celebrities who behave recklessly don’t deserve our respect.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The film isn’t trying to absorb or recklessly mirror the traumas of the Black family so much as make a case for its nuance.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026

“Oh I suppose not,” she sighed, and she sat down to watch their chess match, which culminated in an exciting checkmate of Ron’s, involving a couple of recklessly brave pawns and a very violent bishop.

From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling

Related Words

• carelessly
• foolishly