Word
carefree
Phoneticscare·free, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkɛɹˌfɹi/
UK/kˈeəfɹiː/
Definition
adj. having no worries or responsibilities. You use this to describe someone who feels happy and light because they do not have any problems to think about.
adj. free from anxiety or responsibility; having a lighthearted and untroubled disposition. Often used to describe a period of life or a specific personality trait.
Examples
“She spent a carefree summer traveling across the country.”
“After finishing his final exams, he enjoyed a few carefree weeks before starting his new job.”
“The novel captures the carefree atmosphere of the coastal town, where the residents seem entirely insulated from the political turmoil affecting the rest of the nation.”
Examples
simple
“She spent a carefree summer traveling across the country.”
contextual
“After finishing his final exams, he enjoyed a few carefree weeks before starting his new job.”
complex
“The novel captures the carefree atmosphere of the coastal town, where the residents seem entirely insulated from the political turmoil affecting the rest of the nation.”
Usage
Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb like 'feel' or 'seem'.'
Real-World Examples
“There is a carefree atmosphere as some sip prosecco from a pop-up bar cart.” “She added: “We have to stop pretending that we are living in a carefree end of history when Russia is testing our resolve week after week.” Etymology
From care + -free.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/carefree