as in careless
not paying or showing close attention especially for the purpose of avoiding trouble
an incautious comment got her in political hot water
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Recent Examples of incautious
Thieves on foot or on motorbikes snatch cellphones from incautious tourists.
—
Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Clearly, holding single parents legally responsible for incautious, negligent or irresponsible parenting could fill up jails and prisons and impoverish such families completely and radically.
—Ellen Sauerbrey, Baltimore Sun, 18 Aug. 2025
The pace of activity quickens in the final few days and the last hours can be especially perilous to the public interest as legislators make incautious deals to get their own languishing proposals passed.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 4 May 2024
Nationalists call on the state to punish disloyal actors, such as Western brands, Chinese feminists, and incautious celebrities.
—Chang Che, The New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for incautious
Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Clearly, holding single parents legally responsible for incautious, negligent or irresponsible parenting could fill up jails and prisons and impoverish such families completely and radically.
—Ellen Sauerbrey, Baltimore Sun, 18 Aug. 2025
The pace of activity quickens in the final few days and the last hours can be especially perilous to the public interest as legislators make incautious deals to get their own languishing proposals passed.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 4 May 2024
Nationalists call on the state to punish disloyal actors, such as Western brands, Chinese feminists, and incautious celebrities.
—Chang Che, The New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for incautious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incautious
Adjective
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After an almost year-long investigation by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office charged Pino with three misdemeanor counts of careless boating resulting in death.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
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Dahlin earned another interference penalty later, and Zucker’s roughing penalty was careless.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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Thus, young riders may attempt unsafe stunts or travel at unsafe speeds.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 May 2026
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City officials have stressed the random attack on the popular trail doesn’t mean the trail is unsafe.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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He was charged with seven counts, including first-degree reckless endangering safety and two counts of eluding an officer.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
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The spiral of menace is breathtaking as Gary continues to dig them in deeper with his misplaced confidence and reckless moves, and a bone-chilling warning left in the dead of night forces Irwin to bring Hester up to date.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incautious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incautious. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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