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

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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
  • Judicial opinions have largely focused on crimes of negligence, road rage or driving while intoxicated, and in rare instances, cases where someone purposefully drove their car into a crowd of people.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
  • Of his total 153 games with the Marlins, 55 were spread over the last two seasons, 2023 and 2024, as Garcia dealt with back injuries the lawsuit says were exacerbated by negligence by UM doctors.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
Definition of negligence
Noun
  • Once, administrators confronted him about the carelessness of his grading.
    — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 31 May 2026
  • That's not chance or carelessness.
    — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 28 May 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 21 Jul. 2026.

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