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heedlessness

noun

as in negligence
failure to take the care that a cautious person usually takes the dog's lack of protection against rabies was purely due to his owner's heedlessness

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 heedlessness Holden’s moral rigor is refreshing in a cultural moment marked by an unsettling mix of cynicism and heedlessness. — Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026 The heedlessness of the children has touched her mood. — Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heedlessness
  1. negligence
  2. carelessness
Noun
  • The bill does not change any legal standards regarding this type of legal claim and does not limit liability for damages resulting from negligence, Nemeth said.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Earlier this year, two men, Christopher Sage and Terry Thompson, sued DraftKings, FanDuel and other companies for negligence, design defect, failure to warn, unfair trade practices and related claims.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of negligence
Noun
  • Yet the carelessness went up another notch, midway through the first half, when Benjamin Pavard rolled the ball into Martinez’s path and Valverde ran in to close the goalkeeper down.
    — Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • It gets filed alongside carelessness, disorganization and not really trying, and the people who display it often apologize for it as though they’d been caught slacking.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of carelessness

Browse Nearby Words

heedlessly
heedlessness
heeds
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Cite this Entry

“Heedlessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heedlessness. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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