care less
1 of 2phrase
: not to care
—used positively and negatively with the same meaning
I could care less what happens. = I couldn't care less what happens.
1
a
: free from care : untroubled
careless days
b
: indifferent, unconcerned
careless of the consequences
2
: not taking care
My brother was too careless of his charge.—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare3
: not showing or receiving care:
b
: unstudied, spontaneous
a careless grace
a careless glance
c
obsolete
: unvalued, disregarded
carelessly
adverb
carelessness
noun
Examples of care less in a Sentence
Adjective
He is a careless worker.
She was careless with my things.
It was a careless mistake.
a newspaper known for careless reporting
Recent Examples on the Web
Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
But Ashley and Austin, bless their hearts, would live in the throes of a careless spring, with mismatched furniture and super casual pastel curtains.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 20 Apr. 2026
The driver of the car was cited for careless driving resulting in death, police said.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
An elevated matching set There’s a fine line between comfortable and careless.
—Gabrielle Porcaro, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for care less
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Adjective
The driver of the Honda was cited for careless driving, according to the FHP.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
But Ashley and Austin, bless their hearts, would live in the throes of a careless spring, with mismatched furniture and super casual pastel curtains.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 20 Apr. 2026
The driver of the car was cited for careless driving resulting in death, police said.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
An elevated matching set There’s a fine line between comfortable and careless.
—Gabrielle Porcaro, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for care less
Cite this Entry
“Care less.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/care%20less. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
careless
adjective
care·less
ˈke(ə)r-ləs 
ˈka(ə)r-
1
: free from care : not troubled
2
: not taking proper care
a careless worker
3
: done, made, or said without proper care
a careless mistake
carelessly
adverb
carelessness
noun
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