harum-scarum 1 of 2

adjective

ˌher-əm-ˈsker-əm How to pronounce harum-scarum (audio)
Definition of harum-scarumnext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

harum-scarum

2 of 2

adverb

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

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
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
  1. reckless
  2. frantically
  3. daredevil
  4. wild
  5. daring
  6. wildly
Adjective
  • Authorities say the employee who discharged the firearm has been charged with reckless conduct.
    — CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Last week, Nolan-O’Slatarra’s family filed a summons with notice against Durnan in Manhattan Supreme Court, accusing him of assault, gross negligence, and reckless and wanton conduct in connection with the woman’s death.
    — Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of reckless
Adverb
  • Video of the incident posted to TikTok show passengers frantically escaping the plane via its inflatable emergency slides on an airport taxiway.
    — Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2026
  • That’s when 72-year-old Leidis Rodríguez frantically cooked beans after the lights switched on this week following hours of uninterrupted blackouts.
    — Andrea Rodriguez, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of frantically
Adjective
  • News earlier in the month, Johnson and East chatted about life at home with their three little ones, and shared which kid is taking on a daredevil personality.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
  • In addition to decades of performing his own impossible feats for the sake and sanctity of cinema, Cruise has lately taken to showing off his daredevil talents at sporting events worldwide.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 19 July 2026
Definition of daredevil
Adverb
  • Two more runs scored in the fourth inning when Ohtani, Pages and Freeman strung together three consecutive two-out singles and Keller wild-pitched a run home.
    — Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 12 June 2026
  • First, like cucumbers, squash is a wild-growing vegetable that competes for garden space, according to Dilmore.
    — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 9 June 2026
Definition of wild
Adjective
  • Even the films that aren’t explicitly about the next generation often have a stasis-like quality to them, refusing to take risks or stray from the original films in any daring way, that feels apiece with where modern franchise filmmaking is in 2026.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The tactics used are as unconventional and daring as those in spy novels.
    — Donald J. Mihalek, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of daring
Adverb
  • Oren’s particular calibration across all aspects of her atmosphere, design, pacing, and performances make that movie an especially fascinating film to revisit, as the reading of it differs quite wildly each time.
    — Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Stewart had been singing with The Faces for several years before launching a wildly successful solo career in the early 1970s.
    — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of wildly

Browse Nearby Words

harshness
harum-scarum
harvest
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Harum-scarum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harum-scarum. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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