as in reckless
having or showing a lack of concern for the consequences of one's actions
a harum-scarum dash through the crowded terminal to make the flight
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in frantically
in a confused and reckless manner
tossed everything harum-scarum from the closet in a desperate attempt to find her shoes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harum-scarum
Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 4 May 2025
Adjective
Years of harum-scarum borrowing and spending combined with economic wallops from the Covid-19 pandemic, soaring interest rates and inflation helped drive up Kenya’s debt to $80 billion.
—Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 4 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harum-scarum
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
Adverb
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The crowd roared, frantically waving around their lightsticks — Bluetooth synchronized electric wands that cast the Friendly Confines in a neon green glow.—
William Tong,
Chicago Tribune,
27 June 2025
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Terrified families are now frantically calling one another, desperately seeking news and praying their loved ones are alive—and that the regime won’t take out its fury on them.—
Siamak Namazi,
Time,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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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
Adverb
-
All of it wild-caught.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
orlandosentinel.com,
14 Aug. 2020
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Our first stop is in a wild-looking stretch 200 yards south of the railroad tracks and State Street.—
Paul A. Smith,
Journal Sentinel,
2 Jan. 2023
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
Adverb
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Such a unit should yield 15-45 watt-hours of energy per day, though this is wildly variable depending on conditions.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
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Circle's move comes after a wildly successful IPO and debut trading month on the public markets.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harum-scarum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harum-scarum. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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