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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 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
-
The father faces 29 charges including second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The charges Colin Gray is facing 29 charges related to the shooting, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, five counts of reckless conduct and 20 counts of child cruelty.—
Jozsef Papp,
AJC.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
In audio of the 911 call obtained by NBC News, Caleb Flynn could be heard frantically telling a dispatcher that someone broke into his home and shot his wife.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Players slide 40-pound stones toward a target while their teammates sweep frantically to control its speed and direction, and Gross does the same with a cast that gives it all.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Ogden traced his daredevil ways, in part, back to Newell.—
Bill Donahue,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
-
With the element of fire as an intensifier, the Fire Horse is the daredevil and thrill-seeker of the lunar cycle.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The Edge Spa, perched on the side of a precipice overlooking Alexander Creek, showcases ingredients grown or wild-harvested on site.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Most of the region's black walnuts are currently wild-foraged and sold by the pound at local hulling centers.—
Randy Moll,
Arkansas Online,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Below, designers reveal other trends that may have once been considered daring and timely but now stick out like a sore thumb.—
Lacey Ramburger,
The Spruce,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Armed with beauty, daring/hustle and sheer force of will/unwavering ambition, Undine battles an entrenched elite, fearlessly courting controversy, until love and fortune align.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
At a picnic fundraiser in Orlando, his wife Iryna grabs his arms and wildly twirls around his wheelchair, savoring life.—
Carol Guzy,
NPR,
22 Feb. 2026
-
As scientists have come to realize, the samples aren’t wholly representative of the wildly diverse moon, Andrews-Hanna said.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harum-scarum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harum-scarum. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
