You were careless in your action.
Source: tatoeba (16153)
Careless
/ˈkɛəlɪs/
Synonyms for "careless" (406 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (82)
absent-mindedaccident proneaccident-proneairyall thumbsaloofapatheticarbitraryartlessataracticaudaciousawkwardbadbarbaricbarbarousbeat upbeat-upbedraggledbehindhandblase
Show 40 more words
blitheblowzyblunderheadedblunderingboorishboredbreakneckbumblingbunglingbutterfingeredcapriciouscarefreecasualchancechintzyclownishclumsyclumsy-fistedcumbersomecursorydegagedelinquentderelictdesperatedetacheddevil-may-caredilapidateddisheveleddisinteresteddispassionatedisregardantdisregardfuldistantdistracteddistraitdown at the heeldrabbletaileddraggleddraggletailedeasy
Adjective(14 words)
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (121)
easygoingerroneousfalliblefaultyfecklessfingers all thumbsflippantfoolhardyforgetfulfree and easyfrowzyfrumpishfrumpyfumblingfuriousgauchegawkishgawkygracelessgrubby
Show 61 more words
ham-fistedham-handedhaphazardharum scarumharum-scarumhastyheadlongheavy handedheavy-handedheedlesshotheadedhulkinghulkyhurriedimpassiveimpetuousimpotentimpreciseimproperimprovidentimprudentin ragsinaccurateinadequateinadvertentinadvisableinattentiveincapableincautiousinconsiderateincorrectincuriousindifferentindiscreetindiscriminateinefficientinelegantinexactinexcitableinfelicitousinformalingenuousinobservantinsouciantirresponsiblelackadaisicallaxlazyleft handedleft-handleft-handedlenientlistlesslooseloutishlubberlylumberinglumpenlumpishmadmaladroit
Adjective(32 words)
ecological neglectenvironmental apathyfrowsiestglib remarkhaphazardhaphazard configurationhaphazard countinghaphazard efforthaphazard lesson planhaphazard materialshaphazard methodhaphazard note-takinghastyhasty conclusionhasty methodhasty writinghazardous choicehazardous misuseheadfirstidle machine
Show 12 more words
ignorantimprovidentindiscreetinefficient studyinexpertirresponsible citizenklutzylaxerlaxestlazierlazy studentlighthearted
Noun(3 words)
haphazard inquiryill advised actionless thorough
Adjective(3 words)
Verb(2 words)
ignore safety warningsignore weather warnings
Related words (203)
Noun(20 words)
medical neglectmismanagingmore haphazardmore recklessnonrigorous discoursepoor craftsmanshippotshotrash presentationrushscrawlingscribblingshirkingslackingslaptruantungroundedly statedunregulated practiceunthinking actionwastewasteful neglect
messymindlessmussyneglectfulnegligentnonchalantoafishobliviousoffhandovereageroverenthusiasticoverindulgentoverpermissiveoverzealousperfunctorypermissivephlegmaticpococurantepokyponderous
Show 96 more words
precipitantprecipitateprecipitouspromiscuousraggedraggedyrashraunchyreasonlessrecklessregardlessrelaxedremissrespectlessruinousscragglyseedyshabbyshoddyshort-sightedslackslap-bangslapdashslatternlyslipshodsloppyslovenlysluttishsoftsolecisticsordidsqualidstiffstolidtackytactlesstatteredthanklessthoughtlessturned offturned-offunanxiousuncalculatinguncaringunconcerneduncouthuncriticalundiplomaticundiscriminatingunfastidiousunfitungainlyungracefulungrammaticunguardedunhandyunheedfulunheedinguninquiringuninquisitiveuninteresteduninvolvedunkemptunmarkingunmindfulunneatunnoticingunnotingunobservantunobservingunpreparedunqualifiedunreadyunreasoningunreflectingunreflectiveunremarkingunrestrainedunsightlyunsolicitousunstudieduntactfulunthinkingunthoroughunthoughtfuluntidyuntroubledunwaryunwieldyunworriedwantonweakwildwithdrawnwreckingwrong
Verb(7 words)
Adjective(51 words)
neglectful practicesnegligent tasknonconservativenonreflective surfacenonrigorouspiecemeal lessonsplanlessramshackle arrangementrapid decision makingrash shoverashestrecklessreckless energyregardlessrisky behaviorscatterbrainedscattershot processshoddiershoddiestshoddy
Show 31 more words
shoddy goodsslapdashslipshodsloppiersloppiestsloppysloppy handlingsloppy personsloppy techniqueslouchierslovenlierslovenliestspeedyundutifulunorganizedunprofessional behaviorunprotectiveunsafeunsafe actionunsafe manipulationunscientificunstudiousunsustainable fashionunsystematic inquiryuntidy dataunwarierunwariestunwiserwastefulwasteful irrigationwasteful practice
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: absent-minded, accident prone, accident-prone, aesthetic neglect, airy.
- Sentence evidence is available for careless, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, wiktionary, opengloss, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "careless".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "careless"
Keep "careless" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "careless" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "careless", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "careless" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
2 entriesMore specific
4 entriesCollocations
5 entriescareless errorcareless handlingcareless handwritingcareless mistakecareless spelling
Inflections
2 entriesmore carelessmost careless
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
20 entriesShowing 16 of 20 words.
Sample sentences
16 total sentences available.
It was careless of you to lose the key.
Source: tatoeba (16169)
It was careless of you to leave your bag.
Source: tatoeba (21223)
It was careless of her to leave the door unlocked when she went out.
Source: tatoeba (21858)
Showing 4 of 16 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "careless"?
Closest matches include absent-minded, accident prone, accident-prone, aesthetic neglect, airy.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "careless"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.