careless

adjective

ˈker-ləs How to pronounce careless (audio)
Definition of carelessnext
1
as in unsafe
not paying or showing close attention especially for the purpose of avoiding trouble a careless reporter who often doesn't get his facts straight a careless mistake that caused the plane to crash

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in neglectful
failing to give proper care and attention a careless effort that made an unnecessary mess

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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 careless Steele accepted the reduced charge, along with a separate careless-driving citation, and suspended the athlete’s driver’s license for five years. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026 The second charge was amended to a careless driving citation. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Nobody was careless; the authorization lived in the payer's portal, the sessions lived in the scheduler, and no system owned the job of noticing that one had ended while the other kept going. — Jp Montoya, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 The pro golfer changed his plea from not guilty to no contest after the state amended his charges to reckless driving, second offense, and a careless driving citation. — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for careless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for careless
  1. unsafe
  2. neglectful
  3. reckless
  4. lazy
  5. negligent
Adjective
  • The plaintiffs, Priscilla Sterling, Raine Becker, Shawn Miller and John Bennett, alleged that the city knowingly allowed residents to drink unsafe water.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Zumthor’s discussion of creating inner security and safety for me immediately evokes for me the specter of its opposite, the unsafe spaces, the spaces of destruction, the homes flattened in Ukraine, Yemen, Lebanon and Gaza.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsafe
Adjective
  • Still, Duncan on Friday argued that the move is a mistake that empowers neglectful landlords and fails tenants.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Played by Rhea Perlman alongside her real-life husband Danny DeVito, the beauty and bingo-obsessed matriarch was pretty neglectful.
    — Huntley Woods, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of neglectful
Adjective
  • The engineer abruptly resigned after refusing to contribute to a reckless corporate competition that could ultimately lead to uncontrollable AI.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • None were remotely reckless, and none prevented a promising attack, which are the usual triggers for cautions.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of reckless
Adjective
  • Or its lazy gaze and obsession with gloss over lived-in texture, which sinks its moments of violence into forgettable trifles?
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Deep seats give it that sink-in-and-relax feel, and the oversized chaise gives you plenty of wiggle room during movie marathons or lazy weekends.
    — Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of lazy
Adjective
  • The judge then dismissed the charge at the request of prosecutors, and the jury subsequently reached a not-guilty verdict on a less serious charge of criminally negligent homicide.
    — Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Morissette is suing Urinov on claims of civil extortion, fraud and negligent misrepresentation and is requesting more than $75,000 in damages.
    — Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of negligent

Browse Nearby Words

caregiving
careless
carelessly
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Cite this Entry

“Careless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/careless. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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