# careless

/ˈkɛɹɫəs/ (US) · /kˈeələs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/careless
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. not paying attention

adjective · CEFR B1

not giving enough attention or thought to what you are doing, which often causes mistakes.

For teachers: failing to give sufficient attention or thought to avoiding harm or errors.

- It was a careless mistake to leave the front door unlocked overnight.
- The accountant's careless handling of the tax filings resulted in a significant fine for the small business.

Usage: Often followed by the prepositions 'with' or 'about'.

### 2. unconcerned

adjective · CEFR B2

not worried or concerned about something, sometimes in a way that seems rude.

For teachers: displaying a lack of concern or interest; nonchalant regarding the feelings of others or the outcome of a situation.

- He gave a careless shrug when I asked him if he was coming to the party.
- Her careless attitude toward the project's failure deeply frustrated the rest of the team who had worked overtime.

### 3. free from worry

adjective · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

having no worries or problems to think about.

For teachers: characterised by a lack of anxiety or responsibility; free from the burdens of care.

- They spent a careless afternoon wandering through the old forest.
- In the poem, the author reflects on the careless days of his youth before the onset of war.

Teaching tip: In modern English, 'carefree' is almost always used for this positive meaning; 'careless' is now almost exclusively negative.

## Examples

- He made a few careless mistakes on the math test.
- Leaving the front door unlocked was a careless oversight that worried the rest of the family.
- The report was marred by careless formatting and several factual inconsistencies that suggested a lack of thorough proofreading before the final submission.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.