: not taking heed : inconsiderate, thoughtless
heedless follies of unbridled youth—
John DeBruyn
John DeBruyn
heedlessly
adverb
heedlessness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of heedless in a Sentence
They remain heedless of their own safety.
the heedless use of natural resources
Recent Examples on the Web
Even a limited nuclear war between India and Pakistan would kill tens of millions worldwide and cause global famine—but how can the U.S. argue for other nations to disarm while burnishing its own nuclear sword in such a heedless fashion?
—The Editors, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2023
The heedless rush to splash the story onto the screen leads to an appalling waste of the formidable talents marshalled to depict it.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2023
But politics, or, better, statecraft is precisely what is needed now to avoid even greater catastrophe—and even greater catastrophe is sure to follow heedless decisions born of rage.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2023
Last week, ProPublica revealed that the ethically heedless Clarence Thomas had been a secret speaker at donor conclaves of the Koch network, which spent over $60 million supporting GOP candidates in the last election cycle.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 25 Sep. 2023
And the riders, in my experience, tend to be heedless — arrogant, reckless.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 13 Sep. 2023
The Venus flytraps of social media are a case in point; so is the heedless embrace of artificial intelligence.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023
The actor’s work with the Coen brothers had honed his gifts for heedless confidence and rapid banter, both of which Foxy has in spades.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 June 2023
Composure has its place, but music deserves our heedless attention.
—John Lingan, Washington Post, 22 June 2023
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The Editors, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2023
The heedless rush to splash the story onto the screen leads to an appalling waste of the formidable talents marshalled to depict it.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2023
But politics, or, better, statecraft is precisely what is needed now to avoid even greater catastrophe—and even greater catastrophe is sure to follow heedless decisions born of rage.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2023
Last week, ProPublica revealed that the ethically heedless Clarence Thomas had been a secret speaker at donor conclaves of the Koch network, which spent over $60 million supporting GOP candidates in the last election cycle.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 25 Sep. 2023
And the riders, in my experience, tend to be heedless — arrogant, reckless.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 13 Sep. 2023
The Venus flytraps of social media are a case in point; so is the heedless embrace of artificial intelligence.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023
The actor’s work with the Coen brothers had honed his gifts for heedless confidence and rapid banter, both of which Foxy has in spades.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 June 2023
Composure has its place, but music deserves our heedless attention.
—John Lingan, Washington Post, 22 June 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heedless.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1565, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to heedless
Dictionary Entries Near heedless
Cite this Entry
“Heedless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heedless. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
heedless
adjective
heed·less
ˈhēd-ləs 
: not taking heed : thoughtless
heedlessly
adverb
heedlessness
noun
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