careless

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /kɛɹ.ləs/ UK /ˈkɛəlɪs/ See IPA manual

Freq #7637

Meanings

1

adj
Not giving enough attention or thought, so you make mistakes or cause harm.

A careless mistake cost him the game.
2

adj
Done without due thought or consideration.

He hurt her with a few careless words.
3

adj
Relaxed and natural, with no sign of effort.

She had an air of careless elegance.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not giving enough attention... negligent reckless

2 adj · done without due thought or... regardless

More cursory derelict heedless irregardless irrespective lash lax neglectful remiss

Opposites

meticulous

Word family

Derived forms carelessly carelessnessovercareless

Related forms guilty

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

Proverbs (1)

See all

Careless talk costs lives

Etymology

From Middle English careles, from Old English carlēas (“careless, reckless, void of care, free from care, free”), equivalent to care + -less. Cognate with Icelandic kærulaus (“careless, negligent”).

*ǵeh₂r- Proto-Indo-European careles Middle English carlēas Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# careless

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /kɛɹ.ləs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkɛəlɪs/
**Frequency rank:** 7637

## Meanings
1. Not giving enough attention or thought, so you make mistakes or cause harm.
2. Done without due thought or consideration.
3. Relaxed and natural, with no sign of effort.

## Examples
- A careless mistake cost him the game.
- He hurt her with a few careless words.
- She had an air of careless elegance.

## Synonyms
- cursory
- derelict
- heedless
- irregardless
- irrespective
- lash
- lax
- neglectful
- negligent
- reckless
- regardless
- remiss

## Antonyms
- meticulous

## Derived Forms
- carelessly
- carelessness
- overcareless

## Related Forms
- guilty

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ǵeh₂r-
- Root: careles
- Root: carlēas
- Affix: -less - without

## Etymology
From Middle English careles, from Old English carlēas (“careless, reckless, void of care, free from care, free”), equivalent to care + -less. Cognate with Icelandic kærulaus (“careless, negligent”).

## AI Etymology
careless is an adjective. It is from Middle English careles, from Old English carlēas (“careless, reckless, void of care, free from care, free”), equivalent to care + -less. Cognate with Icelandic kærulaus (“careless, negligent”). Historical forms in the chain include *ǵeh₂r- (Proto-Indo-European), careles (Middle English), and carlēas (Old English). Current senses include not giving enough attention or thought, so you make mistakes or cause harm, done without due thought or consideration, and relaxed and natural, with no sign of effort. Derived forms include carelessly, carelessness, and overcareless. Related words include guilty.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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