ENGLISH
REFERENCE

irresponsible

adj. · n.
US //ˌɪɹəˈspɑnsəbəɫ// UK //ɪɹɪspˈɒnsəbəl// ir·re·spon·si·ble
  1. 1 careless or negligent (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    behaving in a way that shows you do not care about the consequences of your actions.

    displaying a lack of accountability or due care; acting without regard for the potential negative outcomes of one's conduct.

    Example

    It was irresponsible of him to leave the front door unlocked all night.

    Example

    The board of directors was criticised for their irresponsible handling of the company's pension fund during the merger.
  2. 2 not legally accountable (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Archaic Formal Law

    not legally responsible for what you do.

    exempt from legal responsibility or not subject to being held accountable by a higher authority.

    Example

    In the past, certain rulers were considered irresponsible to any human law.

    Example

    The treaty established that the monarch remained irresponsible to the local courts, a clause that caused significant diplomatic friction.
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  1. 3 a careless person (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal

    a person who does not act in a responsible way.

    an individual who lacks a sense of duty or fails to meet their obligations.

    Example

    The social worker worried that the young man was becoming one of the town's irresponsibles.

    Example

    The editorial dismissed the protesters as a group of young irresponsibles with no clear political agenda.
Origin

From ir- + responsible.

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