1
a
: free from care : untroubled
careless days
b
: indifferent, unconcerned
careless of the consequences
2
: not taking care
My brother was too careless of his charge.—
Shakespeare
Shakespeare3
: not showing or receiving care:
b
: unstudied, spontaneous
a careless grace
a careless glance
c
obsolete
: unvalued, disregarded
carelessly
adverb
carelessness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of careless in a Sentence
He is a careless worker.
She was careless with my things.
It was a careless mistake.
a newspaper known for careless reporting
Recent Examples on the Web
Donald Trump, so ignorant of the past and so careless about the future, is a present-tense kind of candidate.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024
These strategies, while not foolproof, can help mitigate the growing threat posed by insiders—whether malicious or simply careless.
—Rich Vibert, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
The female driver, whose name has not been released, was charged with careless driving causing injury, according to WPBF and WFOR-TV.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
If companies are careless, AI will replicate the same biases as human decision-making.
—Dr. Vic Baker, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for careless 
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Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024
These strategies, while not foolproof, can help mitigate the growing threat posed by insiders—whether malicious or simply careless.
—Rich Vibert, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
The female driver, whose name has not been released, was charged with careless driving causing injury, according to WPBF and WFOR-TV.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
If companies are careless, AI will replicate the same biases as human decision-making.
—Dr. Vic Baker, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for careless
Dictionary Entries Near careless
Cite this Entry
“Careless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/careless. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
careless
adjective
care·less
ˈke(ə)r-ləs 
ˈka(ə)r-
1
: free from care : not troubled
2
: not taking proper care
a careless worker
3
: done, made, or said without proper care
a careless mistake
carelessly
adverb
carelessness
noun
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