1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

carefree

adjective

ˈker-ˌfrē How to pronounce carefree (audio)
Definition of carefreenext
as in nonchalant
having or showing freedom from worries or troubles passengers on a luxury cruise ship enjoying a carefree vacation carefree college students on spring break

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of carefree Tadens, part of a Haitian migrant family that moved to the United States in 2024, is remembered as a carefree, sweet child who had a stellar school attendance. — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026 Verano centers on an unruly teen whose plans for a carefree summer are disrupted when his parents welcome an asylum seeker into their home. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026 His garage alone has more than 90 items embodying that carefree lifestyle. — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026 For all of us hankering after a more expressive, carefree time, here are the nine ’90s nail designs made modern for autumn 2025. — Jeanne Ballion, Vogue, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for carefree
Recent Examples of Synonyms for carefree
  1. nonchalant
  2. lighthearted
  3. relaxed
  4. unconcerned
  5. insouciant
  6. casual
Adjective
  • Just a rugged man in a stream There is, of course, nothing nonchalant about the exchange.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Then Gurov takes that famous bite of watermelon, a metaphor for what has just happened and his nonchalant reaction to it.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of nonchalant
Adjective
  • Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell know how to keep the competitive nature at television's most prestigious award show fun and lighthearted.
    — Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The idea had been brewing ever since Kennedy opened up about her high school antics during a lighthearted conversation with her dad at an airport a few years after graduating.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of lighthearted
Adjective
  • Spotted hyenas signal one-on-one playfulness with a relaxed open mouth.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The animal was far from sprinting, instead taking a relaxed stroll at a speed surprisingly comparable to a human walking briskly to catch a bus.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of relaxed
Adjective
  • Unmoored, often ill with tuberculosis, and in and out of hospitals, Leigh valiantly continued to work, seemingly unconcerned about her precarious health.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Feldstein and Einhorn seemed unconcerned about disrupting relations with Egypt, Israel’s most important peace partner in the region.
    — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of unconcerned
Adjective
  • Midi lengths refuse to commit to long or short camps, settling in the middle for a moment that's polished and truly insouciant.
    — Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 1 Apr. 2026
  • There is nothing insouciant about me.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of insouciant
Adjective
  • Venus in your communication zone connects awkwardly with Uranus in your career sector, making a message, comment, post, or casual idea more visible than intended.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
  • These Pact leggings are designed for everyday wear and look great with oversized sweaters and knee-high boots, blousy tops and ballet flats, or sneakers and an oversized flannel shirt for a more casual ensemble.
    — Jessie Quinn, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of casual

Browse Nearby Words

care (for)
carefree
careful
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Carefree.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carefree. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tactile

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All