careless

adjective

care·​less ˈker-ləs How to pronounce careless (audio)
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.Shakespeare
3
: not showing or receiving care:
a
: negligent, slovenly
careless writing
b
: unstudied, spontaneous
a careless grace
a careless glance
c
obsolete : unvalued, disregarded
carelessly adverb
carelessness noun

Examples of careless in a Sentence

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Donald Trump, so ignorant of the past and so careless about the future, is a present-tense kind of candidate. Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024 These strategies, while not foolproof, can help mitigate the growing threat posed by insiders—whether malicious or simply careless. Rich Vibert, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024 The female driver, whose name has not been released, was charged with careless driving causing injury, according to WPBF and WFOR-TV. Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024 If companies are careless, AI will replicate the same biases as human decision-making. Dr. Vic Baker, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for careless 

Word History

Etymology

see care entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Dictionary Entries Near careless

Cite this Entry

“Careless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/careless. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

careless

adjective
care·​less ˈke(ə)r-ləs How to pronounce careless (audio)
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

Legal Definition

careless

adjective
care·​less
: not showing due care : negligent
careless driving
compare reckless

More from Merriam-Webster on careless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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