blither; blithest
1
: lacking due thought or consideration : casual, heedless
blithe unconcern
a blithe disregard for the rights of others
2
: of a happy lighthearted character or disposition
a blithe spirit
blithe enjoyment
blithely adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for blithe

merry, blithe, jocund, jovial, jolly mean showing high spirits or lightheartedness.

merry suggests cheerful, joyous, uninhibited enjoyment of frolic or festivity.

a merry group of revelers

blithe suggests carefree, innocent, or even heedless gaiety.

arrived late in his usual blithe way

jocund stresses elation and exhilaration of spirits.

singing, dancing, and jocund feasting

jovial suggests the stimulation of conviviality and good fellowship.

dinner put them in a jovial mood

jolly suggests high spirits expressed in laughing, bantering, and jesting.

our jolly host enlivened the party

Examples of blithe in a Sentence

He showed blithe disregard for the rights of others. He was blithe about the risks to his health.
Recent Examples on the Web Friends knew him for a blithe personality that was both thoughtful and bubbly. Corina Knoll, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2023 This is a sleazy, wretched racket, yet the film is nearly as blithe about it as Shawn is. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 July 2023 The blithe behavior of the officers and young women staffers in the photo is often unsettling, especially when the eight-member ensemble cast add an eerie soundtrack of laughter, accordion music or clattering spoons, as when the women eat fresh blueberries from china bowls. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2022 There will no doubt be some people who see the film and find its power structure, and its arguments, too lopsided, too blithe about Leo and all he’s carried with him into these trysts. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2022 The paper makes the blithe assertion that Ethiopians have been resident in the highlands of that nation for tens of thousands of years, but the latest research is that that just isn't so. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 12 Dec. 2012 Sandwiched between overwrought ’80s delicate-flower tropes and the girl-power boom of the mid-’90s, that display of blithe self-reliance became a touchstone for a generation. Emily Alford, Longreads, 23 Nov. 2022 To do so earnestly suggests a blithe unawareness of your surroundings, like shouting into the phone in public. Kate Lindsay, The Atlantic, 30 Nov. 2022 But the film suffers from a similar problem, depicting her crisis with the blithe touch of a stand-up routine. Pat Padua, Washington Post, 27 Sep. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blithe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English blīthe; akin to Old High German blīdi joyous

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of blithe was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near blithe

Cite this Entry

“Blithe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blithe. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

blithe

adjective
1
: of a happy carefree nature
2
: heedless
blithe unconcern
blithely adverb

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