carelessness

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈkɛɹləsnəs/ UK /ˈkɛələsnəs/ See IPA manual

noun Freq #24837

Meanings

1

noun
A lack of care or attention.

This accident was caused by carelessness.
2

noun
Failure to act with the sensible care a reasonable person would use.

The company was sued for carelessness over safety.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a lack of care or attention. inattention negligence sloppiness

2 noun · failure to act with the... neglect

Opposites

carefulness

Word family

Forms carelessnesses

Etymology

From Middle English *carelesnes, *carlesnesse, from Old English carlēasnes (“freedom from care, security, carelessness”), equivalent to careless + -ness.

*carelesnes Middle English carlēasnes Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

# carelessness

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** ˈkɛɹləsnəs
**IPA (UK):** ˈkɛələsnəs
**Frequency rank:** 24837

## Meanings
1. A lack of care or attention.
2. Failure to act with the sensible care a reasonable person would use.

## Examples
- This accident was caused by carelessness.
- The company was sued for carelessness over safety.

## Antonyms
- carefulness

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *carelesnes
- Root: carlēasnes

## Etymology
From Middle English *carelesnes, *carlesnesse, from Old English carlēasnes (“freedom from care, security, carelessness”), equivalent to careless + -ness.

## AI Etymology
carelessness is a noun. It is from Middle English *carelesnes, *carlesnesse, from Old English carlēasnes (“freedom from care, security, carelessness”), equivalent to careless + -ness. Historical forms in the chain include *carelesnes (Middle English) and carlēasnes (Old English). Current senses include a lack of care or attention and failure to act with the sensible care a reasonable person would use.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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carelessness

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