1
as in nonchalant
having a relaxed, casual manner
a devil-may-care golfer who knows that it's only a game
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reckless
having or showing a lack of concern for the consequences of one's actions
the devil-may-care speed with which he drives his sports car is going to cause a lot of grief someday
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in carefree
having or showing freedom from worries or troubles
the devil-may-care attitude that some people have about needlessly contributing to global warming
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Recent Examples of devil-may-care
On him, loving those summery black socks pulled up just right to mid-calf, devil-may-care Harvard-dropout-style.
—
Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Sonny Hayes, played with a devil-may-care attitude by Pitt, lives to drive.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2025
What makes Dazed and Confused so pleasurable is its adherence to a devil-may-care freedom just inside the bounds of believability.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 6 June 2025
The trunk doubles as her closet, stowing her effortless, devil-may-care rotation of jeans, vintage graphic-print shirts and Southwestern accessories.
—Fawnia Soo Hoo, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2025
With devil-may-care attitude, Johnson found joy in every stanza, operating in total synergy with Angus Young.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
His face is grim, lacking the exuberance and devil-may-care attitude visible in earlier paintings.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 May 2025
This meant casting Quinn didn’t only involve finding someone who could balance a devil-may-care attitude with high intellect, but also someone who fit into the familial image and feeling Marvel and Disney were trying to create.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 13 Apr. 2025
Its goofy, devil-may-care logic and rapid-fire comedy rarely translated to feature-length run times.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Sonny Hayes, played with a devil-may-care attitude by Pitt, lives to drive.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2025
What makes Dazed and Confused so pleasurable is its adherence to a devil-may-care freedom just inside the bounds of believability.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 6 June 2025
The trunk doubles as her closet, stowing her effortless, devil-may-care rotation of jeans, vintage graphic-print shirts and Southwestern accessories.
—Fawnia Soo Hoo, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2025
With devil-may-care attitude, Johnson found joy in every stanza, operating in total synergy with Angus Young.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
His face is grim, lacking the exuberance and devil-may-care attitude visible in earlier paintings.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 May 2025
This meant casting Quinn didn’t only involve finding someone who could balance a devil-may-care attitude with high intellect, but also someone who fit into the familial image and feeling Marvel and Disney were trying to create.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 13 Apr. 2025
Its goofy, devil-may-care logic and rapid-fire comedy rarely translated to feature-length run times.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devil-may-care
Adjective
-
Actress January Jones channeled Isabel Marant’s nonchalant French-girl style by wearing an oversized sweater and cutoff jean shorts to a dinner hosted by the designer.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
12 June 2025
-
The partnership marks a stylistic evolution for White, who previously channeled classic Americana and nonchalant cool in campaigns for Calvin Klein.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
10 June 2025
Adjective
-
These raids are reckless and sow more chaos and division in our city.—
Anna Commander
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
-
Two other Democrats, however, have denounced the strikes as a reckless escalation.—
Lila Hempel-Edgers,
Charlotte Observer,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
However long or fleeting summer months can feel, the season is all about ease and simplicity, and sartorially, few staples capture that carefree spirit better than the button-up shirt.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
30 June 2025
-
But the love between a strict naval officer (Christopher Plummer) and his carefree governess (Julie Andrews) is at the center of the story.—
Lia Beck,
EW.com,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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Even casual users should take a moment to review their settings and chat history to make sure personal details aren’t being shared without their knowledge.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
-
Quiet luxury persists, but in a more casual, relaxed iteration.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
Not even the endless crowing about this daredevil feat in the marketing campaign leading up to the Cannes Film Festival premiere (and the movie’s release on May 23rd) can suck the exhilaration and sense of awe of watching this extended jaunt through the wild blue yonder.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
15 May 2025
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Then there was the subplot of a daredevil robot named Saymo who broke up with his girlfriend in front of a crowd on a studio lot, then tried to roll off a ramp and fly over a car.—
Jason Zinoman,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
Vance was similarly cavalier about the Administration’s noncompliance with court orders—and even about the fact that Abrego Garcia, convicted of no crime in the United States or El Salvador, has been imprisoned indefinitely.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
25 May 2025
-
Meet my very good boys (pictured): Scooter is a nine-year-old cavapoo (cavalier King Charles spaniel and poodle mix).—
Kathy Barnes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 May 2025
Adjective
-
Both WestJet and Hawaiian Airlines said their operations were unaffected by the hacks.—
Sean Lyngaas,
CNN Money,
28 June 2025
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Russian Security Council deputy chairman of Dmitry Medvedev also said Iran's critical nuclear infrastructure appeared to be unaffected or to have sustained only minor damage.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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The lineup includes Sharks Up Close, in which wildlife filmmaker Bertie Gregory embarks on a daring cage-free dive to capture the raw power and beauty of great whites on film, and Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story, the authorized documentary marking the 50th anniversary of the film.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
30 June 2025
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Still, leaping over a 100-foot ravine with a baby clinging to your back seems like a daring choice.—
Skylar Knight,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devil-may-care.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devil-may-care. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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