CARELESSLY Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

carelessly

adverb

as in casually

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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 carelessly Omar Alderete, O’Nien’s second-half replacement, carelessly did the same thing for the late winner. — Stuart James, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Since it was designated the first national recreation area in 1964, hordes of visitors have cut Lake Mead’s glassy surface with jet skis and boats, carelessly dropping belongings that may now wash up on shore. — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 Kylese Perryman claims his rights were violated, saying investigators carelessly and incorrectly identified him as the man responsible for a violent felony. — Ubah Ali, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 The cameras can also help drivers parallel park or ensure a kid’s bike wasn’t left carelessly in the driveway. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026 Each model can be useful, and each creates different risks when applied carelessly. — Keith Ferrazzi, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026 But when leaders use them carelessly, employees may internalize a meaning the leader never intended. — Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 The Dirties includes a scene where Johnson’s out-of-touch high-school character is in blackface, while the Nirvanna web series has bits that carelessly chase juvenile provocation, including stray uses of racial accents and slurs. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 July 2026 Flying an unmanned aircraft system carelessly or recklessly, interfering with a first responder operation, is also a misdemeanor under state law and San Diego municipal code. — Sydney Brammer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for carelessly

Adverb

König suggests strength training and reformer Pilates before casually adjusting my slightly uneven hips with chiropractic confidence.

— Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Aug. 2026
Neece is calmly and casually kind, like a faithful bloodhound without jowls.

— Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of casually

Adverb

Attorneys for the players said Thursday that the Cobb County court found the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on claims that the NCAA applied its eligibility rules arbitrarily and inconsistently.

— Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
The government says the law does not allow land to be taken arbitrarily.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of arbitrarily

Adverb

Permits that are granted and withdrawn capriciously, tax credits that come and go, technologies that fall in or out of favor in successive administrations, and endless legal battles all amount to dangerous barriers to investment.

— Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
That standard would uphold the NCAA’s interpretation of the waiver rule so long as the NCAA didn’t act arbitrarily or capriciously, either of which is difficult to show.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Definition of capriciously

Adverb

Huxley’s critique is clear; America mistakes body for spirit, promiscuously confusing the physical with the metaphysical.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
Political factions are steered by big personalities, and politicians jump promiscuously between parties.

— BEN BLAND, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2024

Definition of promiscuously

Adverb

Sculptures whimsically assembled from chairs, lamps, and a filing cabinet pulled from Cultural Center storage get roped off by floor tape that cleverly extends the artworks themselves, upending standard museum practice while also sticking to it.

— Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
Out in the high desert near Cabazon, my favorite stops are Hadley’s Fruit Orchards, home of the famous Hadley date shakes, and the whimsically Cabazon Dinosaur sculptors.

— Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026

Definition of whimsically

Adverb

For years, league executives have informally surveyed players about how to fix the Pro Bowl.

— Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
People have been informally betting on Mother Nature for more than 100 years, Pietruska said, dating to the 1880s when people in India would gamble on whether a rain gauge would overflow during a monsoon.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of informally

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“Carelessly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carelessly. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of carelessly

adverb

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