careless

care-less · adjective

imported

Definitions

adjective

  1. 1.

    Not giving sufficient attention or thought to avoiding harm or errors.

  2. 2.

    Done without paying attention; showing a lack of effort.

  3. 3.

    Not concerned or worried about something.

  4. 4.

    (archaic) Free from care; carefree.

Related words

Antonyms: attentive, careful, cautious, meticulous
See also: carefree, careful, negligent, reckless
Synonyms: heedless, negligent, reckless, sloppy, thoughtless

Etymology

From Old English "caru" meaning worry, combined with the suffix "-less" meaning without. Originally meant "free from care" but shifted to mean "not taking care."