Word
recklessly
Phoneticsreck·less·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɹɛkɫəsɫi/
UK/ɹˈɛkləsli/
Definition
adv. in a way that shows you do not care about the danger or the rules. You use this when someone acts without thinking about the possible bad results.
adv. in a manner that shows a lack of care for safety or the consequences of one's actions.
Examples
“He drove recklessly through the busy city streets.”
“The company was fined for recklessly ignoring the safety regulations that led to the accident.”
“The pilot was charged with recklessly endangering the lives of the passengers by flying through a severe storm without proper equipment.”
Examples
simple
“He drove recklessly through the busy city streets.”
contextual
“The company was fined for recklessly ignoring the safety regulations that led to the accident.”
complex
“The pilot was charged with recklessly endangering the lives of the passengers by flying through a severe storm without proper equipment.”
Real-World Examples
“I clicked recklessly, ending up in a hardcore punk playlist.” “Summing up, Christodoulidou said while the presence of alcohol had been detected in Foster’s blood it was not enough to suggest he was impaired to the point where he had “acted recklessly”.” Etymology
From Middle English reklesly, from Old English rēcelēaslīce; equivalent to reckless + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- 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/recklessly