careless
/ˈkɛəlɪs/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Not concerned or worried (about).
Adjective
Examples
"He was here," observed Drina composedly, "and father was angry with him."
"What?" exclaimed Eileen. "When?"
"This morning, before father went downtown."
Both Selwyn and Lansing cut in coolly, dismissing the matter with a careless word or two; and coffee was served—cambric tea in Drina's case.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Not giving sufficient attention or thought, especially concerning the avoidance of harm or mistakes.
Adjective
Examples
Jessica was so careless that she put her shorts on backwards.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “careless” mean?
Not concerned or worried (about).
Is “careless” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.