carelesscare‧less /ˈkeələs $ ˈker-/ ●●○ adjective 
It was careless of him to leave the door unlocked. a careless mistake careless drivingcareless with He’s careless with his glasses and has lost three pairs. Careless talk can be disastrous for a business.2[usually before noun] natural and not done with any deliberate effort or attention: He ran a hand through his hair with a careless gesture.3not concerned about somethingcareless of a man careless of his own safety She gave a careless shrug. ► Do not use ‘careless’ to mean that someone has no worries. Use carefree: They all felt happy and carefree.—carelessly adverb—carelessness noun [uncountable]THESAURUScareless not paying enough attention to what you are doing, so that you make mistakes, damage things etc: · I made a few careless mistakes.· It was careless of you to leave your purse lying about.· He started getting careless about taking his medication.clumsy often dropping or breaking things because you move around in a careless way: · I’m so clumsy, I spilt milk all over the floor.· a clumsy childsloppy careless and lazy in the way you do your work or in your behaviour generally: · As a student, he was brilliant but sloppy.· I will not tolerate sloppy work.reckless especially written doing dangerous or stupid things without thinking about your own or other people’s safety: · The driver of the car was arrested for reckless driving.· His actions showed a reckless disregard for human life.irresponsible careless in a way that might affect other people, especially when you should be taking care of them: · It’s irresponsible for parents to let their children smoke.· his irresponsible attitude to keeping animalstactless carelessly saying something that upsets or embarrasses someone, without intending to do this: · He kept making tactless remarks about her appearance.· a tactless question· I thought it would be tactless to ask about her divorce.casual not being careful enough about something and treating it as though it is not important: · He seems to have a very casual attitude towards his work.· She disliked the casual way in which he made decisions affecting other people’s lives.negligent careless about something that you are responsible for, so that serious mistakes are made – used especially when someone will be officially punished for this: · The doctor was negligent in using the wrong type of needle.· They found him guilty of negligent conduct.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Careless handling of pesticides causes dozens of accidents on farms every year.
- After a few weeks, he started getting careless about taking his medication.
- Don't be so careless.
- I made a few careless mistakes.
- Investigators are still not sure whether the damage was intentional or due to careless work.
- It was very careless of you to leave your purse lying on the desk.
- Katz argued that the police used too much force and were careless in making arrests.
- Keaton got careless and left fingerprints at the scene of the crime.
- Officials suspect that the fire was started by careless campers.
- Pryce accused the other driver of being careless and negligent.
- Some careless idiot forgot to lock the door and the dog got out.
- Terence has always been careless with his money.
- The building had been finished in a very careless way, with loose wires and unpainted ceilings.
- Witnesses say the argument started after a careless remark about the victim's wife.
- You say a few careless words to a neighbour and suddenly everyone knows about it.
- Every year, some careless motorists wind up blinded by acid.
- He was fined 300-pounds and given six penalty points for careless driving.
- Huy grabbed one of the torches and brought it closer, careless of the wax dripping on to the dead skin.
- I was too careless to really focus.
- It was a delightful, careless room, untidy and rather deficient in comfortable chairs.
- People just thought I was being careless.
- She snapped out careless retorts and soared in brief Puccinian reminiscences with equal ease.
THESAURUS
not paying enough attention to what you are doing, so that you make mistakes, damage things etc: · I made a few careless mistakes.· It was careless of you to leave your purse lying about.· He started getting careless about taking his medication.
often dropping or breaking things because you move around in a careless way: · I’m so clumsy, I spilt milk all over the floor.· a clumsy child
careless and lazy in the way you do your work or in your behaviour generally: · As a student, he was brilliant but sloppy.· I will not tolerate sloppy work.
especially written doing dangerous or stupid things without thinking about your own or other people’s safety: · The driver of the car was arrested for reckless driving.· His actions showed a reckless disregard for human life.
careless in a way that might affect other people, especially when you should be taking care of them: · It’s irresponsible for parents to let their children smoke.· his irresponsible attitude to keeping animals
carelessly saying something that upsets or embarrasses someone, without intending to do this: · He kept making tactless remarks about her appearance.· a tactless question· I thought it would be tactless to ask about her divorce.
not being careful enough about something and treating it as though it is not important: · He seems to have a very casual attitude towards his work.· She disliked the casual way in which he made decisions affecting other people’s lives.
careless about something that you are responsible for, so that serious mistakes are made – used especially when someone will be officially punished for this: · The doctor was negligent in using the wrong type of needle.· They found him guilty of negligent conduct.
Longman Language Activatorcareless, so that you make mistakes or do something badly someone who is careless makes mistakes because they do not think carefully enough about what they are doing: · I made a few careless mistakes.· Don't be so careless.careless about: · After a few weeks, he started getting careless about taking his medication.careless in: · Katz argued that the police used too much force and were careless in making arrests.careless with: · Terence has always been careless with his money.it is careless of somebody (to do something): · It was very careless of you to leave your purse lying on the desk.
someone who is clumsy often drops things or breaks things because they move around in a careless way: · I was tall and clumsy as a child, so I avoided sports.· Paula always felt clumsy when she had to serve food to people.· a large man with big clumsy hands
doing something in a careless and lazy way - used especially about the way someone does their work, or the way they behave generally: · As a student, he was brilliant but sloppy.
careless, so that you or other people are in danger not taking enough care in what you are doing because you do not think about the possible danger or risks: · Some careless idiot forgot to lock the door and the dog got out.· Pryce accused the other driver of being careless and negligent.
especially written someone who is reckless does dangerous or stupid things without thinking that they or someone else might get hurt: · The driver of the car was arrested for reckless driving.· a reckless disregard for human life
someone who is irresponsible does not do the things they should do, or does things they should not do, usually with harmful results: · Police blame higher crime rates on irresponsible parents who allow their teenage children to stay out all night.· Critics accused the governor of being irresponsible, and claimed that his new proposal would put thousands of US troops at risk.
when someone does not do an important job carefully enough, especially with the result that there is an accident and they are punished for causing it: · Dr. Atkins was found guilty of negligence and practising medicine without a license.· You can claim compensation if your injury is a result of your employer's negligence.
done in a careless way · Investigators are still not sure whether the damage was intentional or due to careless work.· The building had been finished in a very careless way, with loose wires and unpainted ceilings.· Careless handling of pesticides causes dozens of accidents on farms every year.
done in a careless and lazy way - use this about someone's work or the way someone writes or speaks: · The carpenter I hired did such a sloppy job that I finally had to fix the roof myself.· The company's failure was blamed on sloppy management.· How can you expect an 'A' in this class when you turn in an essay as sloppy as this?
done extremely carelessly and quickly, without paying any attention to the correct ways of working: · We complained to the airline that the in-flight service was hurried and slapdash.· The entire investigation had been conducted in an unsystematic, almost slipshod, manner.
done without any clear plan or system: · According to the report, most Americans have a distinctly haphazard approach to saving for the future.
said without thinking carefully enough: careless remarks/talk/words etc said without thinking about what effect they might have, and so often causing trouble or embarrassment: · You say a few careless words to a neighbour and suddenly everyone knows about it.· Witnesses say the argument started after a careless remark about the victim's wife.
carelessly saying something that upsets or embarrasses someone, especially by mentioning something that it would be kinder or more polite not to talk about: · How could he be so tactless as to make jokes about funerals when her father's just died?it is tactless to do something: · I wanted to know about her divorce but thought it would be tactless to ask.
careless about what you say, especially by talking about things that should be kept secret: · I wouldn't trust him with anything personal - he can be very indiscreet.it is indiscreet of somebody to do something: · I did hear them talking about sales figures but it would be indiscreet of me to say any more.
not thinking carefully enough before doing something if you do something rash , you do not think carefully about the effect it will have, and you wish later you had not done it: · Stay where you are and don't do anything rash -- I'll be over in five minutes.· Don't make any rash promises that you may regret later.
too quick to do or say something, without taking time to think about it first: · I think I may have been a little hasty about firing him.· Go home and think about whether you really want to have the operation -- I don't want you to make any hasty decisions.
doing things as soon as you think of them, without considering the possible dangers or problems: · She's so impulsive -- she saw the house for the first time and said she'd buy it straight away.· Although she comes across as impulsive, Harper is actually very cautious and indecisive.
doing something without thinking carefully first, especially because you have an emotional character and easily get angry, excited etc: · If you weren't so impetuous you wouldn't have lost your job.· He says she's impetuous and emotional.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Careless talk can be disastrous for a business.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
Careless talk can be disastrous for a business.· She pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· I suggest next time you pick up broken glass you try not to be so careless.· The man so careless with rum and candles.· Could Kevin's parents really be so careless that they would lose him twice?· Soon he begins to get angry at the people involved in the incident for being so careless or so heartless.· These people have become so careless.
NOUN· He was fined 300-pounds and given six penalty points for careless driving.· Clearly, the difference between reckless driving and careless driving is one of degree.· He was over the drink-drive limit and had a previous conviction for careless driving.· A van driver involved in the accident has been charged with causing death by careless driving.· Neighbour Martin Clarke, 31, has been charged with causing his death by careless driving.· He pleaded guilty to careless driving in a letter to the court and was fined £300 and ordered to pay £20 costs.· Consider careless driving in such circumstances. 5 & 6.· A 31-year-old labourer was yesterday charged with causing the death of Mr Adams by careless driving after drinking excessively.
· She thinks you don't want to spoil things with careless talk.· One slide about careless talk and spies immediately provoked comments about an episode from Dad's Army.· It used to be said in World War Two that careless talk cost lives.· I don't want careless talk to destabilise the shares.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
- But, it, it is kind of funny.
- So it is kind of coming home and a change of focus.
- The idea of it is kind of cute: This little Frank guy is trying to find candy.
WORD FAMILYnouncarecareradjectivecareful ≠ carelesscaring ≠ uncaringverbcareadverbcarefully ≠ carelessly
1not paying enough attention to what you are doing, so that you make mistakes, damage things etc OPP careful: It was careless of him to leave the door unlocked. a careless mistake careless drivingcareless with He’s careless with his glasses and has lost three pairs. Careless talk can be disastrous for a business.2[usually before noun] natural and not done with any deliberate effort or attention: He ran a hand through his hair with a careless gesture.3not concerned about somethingcareless of a man careless of his own safety She gave a careless shrug. ► Do not use ‘careless’ to mean that someone has no worries. Use carefree: They all felt happy and carefree.—carelessly adverb—carelessness noun [uncountable]THESAURUScareless not paying enough attention to what you are doing, so that you make mistakes, damage things etc: · I made a few careless mistakes.· It was careless of you to leave your purse lying about.· He started getting careless about taking his medication.clumsy often dropping or breaking things because you move around in a careless way: · I’m so clumsy, I spilt milk all over the floor.· a clumsy childsloppy careless and lazy in the way you do your work or in your behaviour generally: · As a student, he was brilliant but sloppy.· I will not tolerate sloppy work.reckless especially written doing dangerous or stupid things without thinking about your own or other people’s safety: · The driver of the car was arrested for reckless driving.· His actions showed a reckless disregard for human life.irresponsible careless in a way that might affect other people, especially when you should be taking care of them: · It’s irresponsible for parents to let their children smoke.· his irresponsible attitude to keeping animalstactless carelessly saying something that upsets or embarrasses someone, without intending to do this: · He kept making tactless remarks about her appearance.· a tactless question· I thought it would be tactless to ask about her divorce.casual not being careful enough about something and treating it as though it is not important: · He seems to have a very casual attitude towards his work.· She disliked the casual way in which he made decisions affecting other people’s lives.negligent careless about something that you are responsible for, so that serious mistakes are made – used especially when someone will be officially punished for this: · The doctor was negligent in using the wrong type of needle.· They found him guilty of negligent conduct.