Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

Definition: Carelessness |
CarelessnessNoun1. The quality of not being careful or taking pains. 2. Failure to act with the prudence that a reasonable person would exercise under the same circumstances. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "carelessness" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1258. (references) |
Synonyms: CarelessnessSynonyms: neglect (n), negligence (n), nonperformance (n). (additional references) |
| Antonym: carefulness (n). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Neglect | Noun: neglect; carelessness; Adjective: trifling; Verb: negligence; omission, oversight, laches, default; supineness; (inactivity); inattention; nonchalance; (insensibility); imprudence, recklessness; slovenliness; (disorder), (dirt); improvidence; noncompletion; inexactness; (error). |
Rashness | Foolhardihood, foolhardiness; heedlessness, thoughtlessness; (inattention); carelessness; (neglect); desperation; Quixotism, knight-errantry; fire eating. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Carelessness |
| English words defined with "carelessness": cunctator ♦ derangement ♦ haphazard, haste, hastiness, hurriedness, hurry ♦ Invigilancy ♦ Overliness, overthrow ♦ Pococurantism, postponer, procrastinator ♦ Slack hand, slapdash, slipshod, sloppy ♦ upset. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "carelessness": ACCIDENT SITE, Alabaster ♦ Bugs ♦ Choice, Crust ♦ Dressing ♦ Execution ♦ Frogs ♦ Ledger ♦ overwinding ♦ Quilts ♦ Tail, Tongue, Tumble ♦ Watch, White Lead. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "carelessness": Pococurantism. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | Losing one parent is unfortunate, but 2, now that's just carelessness! (The Importance of Being Earnest; writing credit: Oliver Parker; Oscar Wilde) Nature has a way sometimes of reminding Man of just how small he is. She occasionally throws up terrible offspring's of our pride and carelessness to remind us of how puny we really are in the face of a tornado, an earthquake, or a Godzilla (Gojira; writing credit: Shuichi Nagahara; Lisa Tomei) | |
Movie/TV Titles | The Cost of Carelessness (1920) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title |
Books | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
![]() | In a word -- carelessness. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | It's the same man. Please remember, Miss Wentz, carelessness is the unpardonable ... Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | Work for steady hands. Carelessness does not mix with molten brass as the concentration of workers shows in this closeup of foundary operation at an eastern Navy yard. Credit: Library of Congress. | ||
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| Author | Quotation |
Benjamin Franklin | Carelessness does more harm than a want of knowledge. |
Oscar Wilde | To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune... to lose both seems like carelessness. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Almost more than any other parasitic disease, human carelessness causes ascaris. (references) | |
Many roundworm parasitic diseases result from human carelessness and a lack of appropriate personal hygiene and sanitation measures. (references) | ||
Parents should look for withdrawal, depression, fatigue, carelessness with grooming, hostility, and deteriorating relationships with family members and friends. (references) | ||
Worker Rights | Turkey | In practice financial constraints, limited safety awareness, carelessness, and fatalistic attitudes result in scant attention to occupational safety and health by workers and employers alike. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Carelessness" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Carelessness" is used about 180 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 100% | 180 | 23,046 |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "carelessness": culpable carelessness ♦ he has a name for carelessness. Additional references. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. |
| Language | Translations for "carelessness"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Afrikaans | agtelosigheid (negligence), agteloosheid (negligence). (various references) | |
Albanian | shkujdesje (disregard, ease, improvidence, inadvertence, inadvertency, insouciance, laxity, lightness, negligence, thoughtlessness, unconcern, untidiness), pakujdesi (default, imprudence, negligence), mospërfillje (coldness, contempt, disinterest, disregard, indifference, insouciance, neglect, negligence, nonchalance, slight, slur, snub), moskokëçarje (indifference, insensibility, negligence, nonchalance). (various references) | |
Arabic | لا مبالاة (apathy, disinterest, disinterestedness, easiness, impassivity, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, phlegm, thickskin, unconcern). (various references) | |
Bulgarian | нехайство (improvidence, inadvertence, inadvertency, insouciance, laches, negligence, remissness). (various references) | |
Chinese | 粗心大意 (Careless, recklessness), 紕 (error, spoiled silk). (various references) | |
Czech | nepozornost (inadvertence, inadvertency, inattention, inattentiveness, thoughtlessness), neopatrnost, nedbalost (laxity, negligence, offhandedness, slackness), ledabylost (laxity, untidiness). (various references) | |
Dutch | nonchalance (negligence, remissness), nalatigheid (negligence, remissness). (various references) | |
Esperanto | senatenteco (negligence), neglektemo (negligence, remissness), malzorgeco (negligence, remissness). (various references) | |
Finnish | huolimattomuus (negligence), huolettomuus (freedom from care, unconcern). (various references) | |
French | négligence. (various references) | |
German | nachlässigkeit (inattentiveness, laxity, laxness, neglect, negligence, perfunctoriness, slackness, sloppiness, thoughtlessness), achtlosigkeit (thoughtlessness), sorglosigkeit (carefreeness, improvidence, insouciance, jauntiness, nonchalance, unconcern). (various references) | |
Greek | αμεριμνησία (insouciance), απροσεξία (inadvertence, inadvertency, inattention, incausiousness, negligence, oversight, recklessness, regardlessness, remissness). (various references) | |
Hebrew | אי ז"ירות (heedlessness), רשול (neglect, negligence, slovenliness). (various references) | |
Hungarian | gondatlanság (dereliction, imprudence, inadvertence, inadvertency, insouciance, malpractice, neglect, negligence, recklessness). (various references) | |
Indonesian | pengabai (disobedience), keteledoran (default (payment, negligence), kesembronoan (recklessness). (various references) | |
Italian | negligenza (laxity, neglect, negligence). (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | 慢 (negligence, procrastination). (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | たいま" (negligence, procrastination), お"たり (negligence), おろそか (neglect, negligence), そそう (ancestors, blunder, careless mistake, dejection, loss of spirit, rat's nest), な'やり (a javelin, negligence), そろう (careless, negligent, to be all present, to be equal, to become complete, to gather), うかつ (stupidity), ぶようじ" (insecurity), ぶちょうほう (clumsiness, impoliteness, misconduct), ふしまつ (malpractice, misconduct, mismanagement, unthriftiness, wastefulness), ふゆきとどき (incompetence, mismanagement, negligence), ふようい (unpreparedness), ふようじ" (insecurity), ふちゅうい (inattention, thoughtlessness), かたい (certain, difficult, firm, hard, honorable, lower leg, lower limbs, lower part of the body, mistake, negligence, solemn, solid, steadfast, stubborn, stuffy writing, unpolished writing). (various references) | |
Korean | 부주의 (inadvertence). (various references) | |
Manx | neuchurrymaght (laxity), neuchiarailys, neuarrey (inattention), meerioose (inattention, neglect, negligence, omission, thoughtlessness), meechiarail. (various references) | |
Pig Latin | arelessnesscay.(various references) | |
Romanian | uşurinţã (ease, easiness, facility, flimsiness, frivolity, glibness, levity, light-mindedness, rashness, readiness, recklessness, wantonness), nepãsare (apathy, casualness, disregard, indifference, laxity, listlessness, negligence, nonchalance, recklessness, remissness, sloth, unconcern), neglijenţã (casualness, inadvertence, inadvertency, negligence, oversight, regardlessness, remissness, slovenliness), lipsã de griji, indolenţã (idleness, indolence, sloth), indiferenţã (apathy, coldness, coolness, detachment, disregard, equanimity, frigidity, indifference, insensibility, listlessness, nonchalance, phlegm, recklessness, regardlessness, remissness, sloth, torpor, unconcern), dezinteres (unconcern). (various references) | |
Russian | неосторожность (contributory negligence, indiscretion), беззаботность (insouciance, lightheartedness, light-heartedness, nonchalance, unconcern). (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | nemarnost (inattentiveness, negligence, sloppiness), nehatnost. (various references) | |
Spanish | descuido (absentmindedness, disregard, inadvertence, inadvertency, inattention, incaution, mistake, neglect, negligence, slip). (various references) | |
Swedish | slarv (fribble, frivolity, inattention, negligence). (various references) | |
Turkish | kayıtsızlık (forgetfulness, indifference, nonchalance, oblivion, unconcern), ihmalkârlık (dereliction, laxity, laxness, negligence, offhandedness, remissness), ihmalcilik (dereliction, laxity, laxness, negligence, offhandedness, remissness), ihmal (criminal neglect, delinquency, disregard, failure, forgetfulness, inattention, neglect, negligence, omission, remissness, shortcoming), dikkatsizlik (inadvertence, inadvertency, inattention, inattentiveness, inobservance, negligence, oscitation, oversight, recklessness, want of care), aldırmazlık (indifference, unconcern, unconcernedness), aldırışsızlık (disinterestedness, insensibility). (various references) | |
Turkmen | geleсsizlik. (various references) | |
Ukrainian | неуважність (absence, absentmindedness, abstractedness, abstraction, inadvertence, inadvertency, inattention, negligence, obliviousness, oscitancy, oscitation, wool gathering), неточність (inexactitude, twilight), неакуратність (inaccuracy), недбалість (backwardness, laxity, looseness, neglect, negligence, nonchalance, offhandedness, oscitancy, oscitation, preterition, pretermission, slapdash), легковажність (airiness, frivolity, giddiness, hoity toity, levity, lightness, puerility), безтурботність (airiness, impassivity, nonchalance, placidity, unconcern). (various references) | |
Vietnamese | sự vô ý (inadvertence, inadvertency), sự thiếu thận trọng (inadvertence, inadvertency, incaution, incautiousness), sự cẩu thả (casualness, neglect, neglectfulness, oscitation, remissiness). (various references) | |
Welsh | diofalwch. (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | incuria, neclegentia, neglegentia, neglegentia, neglegentiam, neglegentias, negligentia, securitas, securitatem. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "carelessness": carelessnesses. (additional references) | |
| |
"Carelessness" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: caerulescens, carelessless. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "carelessness" (pronounced ke"rlusnus) |
| 6 | -l u s n u s | callousness, helplessness, homelessness, hopelessness, joblessness, lawlessness, powerlessness, recklessness, restlessness, ruthlessness, selflessness, weightlessness. |
| 5 | -u s n u s | cautiousness, consciousness, contagiousness, contentiousness, disingenuousness, fractiousness, graciousness, nervousness, outrageousness, pompousness, rebelliousness, righteousness, seriousness, unconsciousness, viciousness. |
| 4 | -s n u s | closeness, hoarseness, niceness. |
| 3 | -n u s | abruptness, absoluteness, acuteness, aggressiveness, agribusiness, airworthiness, alertness, aloofness, alumnus, Anas, androgynous, anise, appropriateness, arbitrariness, assertiveness, astuteness, asynchronous, attentiveness, attractiveness, awareness, awfulness, awkwardness, backwardness, badness, bagginess, baldness, bearishness, bigness, bitterness, bituminous, blackness, blandness, bleakness, blindness, bluntness, boldness, bonus, boorishness, brashness, brightness, bullishness, business, calmness, casualness, cavernous, cheapness, chitinous, cleanliness, cleanness, cleverness, cloudiness, clumsiness, cockiness, cohesiveness, coldness, Colonus, combativeness, compactness, competitiveness, completeness, contrariness, Conus, coolness, correctness, coziness, craziness, creativeness, creditworthiness, creepiness, crispness, crookedness, cuteness, dampness, darkness, Deaconess, deadliness, deafness, decisiveness, defensiveness, destructiveness, directness, distinctiveness, divisiveness, dizziness, dreariness, drowsiness, drunkenness, dryness, dullness, eagerness, earnestness, edginess, effectiveness, elusiveness, emptiness, evenness, exogenous, eyewitness, faintness, fairness, farsightedness, fastness, fickleness, firmness, fitness, flatness, fondness, foolishness, forcefulness, forgiveness, forthrightness, foulness, frankness, freshness, friendliness, frothiness, fullness, funniness, furnace, gauntness, gayness, gelatinous, gentleness, genuineness, genus, ghastliness, gluttonous, goodness, governess, greatness, greenness, grimness, hairiness, handedness, happiness, hardness, harmfulness, harness, harshness, heinous, highness, holiness, homesickness, homogenous, hopefulness, humanness, idleness, illness, inclusiveness, indebtedness, indecisiveness, indigenous, ineffectiveness, ineptness, inertness, intravenous, intrusiveness, inventiveness, Johannes, kindness, larcenous, largeness, lateness, laziness, lenis, lightfastness, lightness, likeness, liveliness, loneliness, lousiness, luminous, madness, Manus, meanness, membranous, menace, Minas, mindedness, minus, monotonous, mountainous, mutinous, narrowness, nastiness, nearsightedness, neatness, newness, nitrogenous, nonbusiness, nonpoisonous, nosiness, nothingness, numbness, ominous, oneness, onus, openness, orderliness, otherness, outspokenness, pandanus, peacefulness, penis, permissiveness, persuasiveness, pervasiveness, pettiness, playfulness, poisonous, politeness, polygynous, possessiveness, preparedness, queasiness, quickness, quietness, raciness, randomness, rareness, ravenous, rawness, readiness, reasonableness, redness, remoteness, resistiveness, resourcefulness, responsiveness, restiveness, restrictiveness, richness, rightness, riskiness, robustness, roominess, roughness, rowdiness, rudeness, ruinous, sacredness, sadness, Salinas, sameness, scantiness, secretiveness, selfishness, sensitiveness, separateness, shakiness, shallowness, sharpness, shortness, shortsightedness, shrewdness, shyness, sickness, silliness, sinus, skittishness, slackness, sleepiness, sloppiness, slovenliness, slowness, sluggishness, slyness, smallness, smoothness, smugness, softness, solitariness, soundness, spiritedness, squeamishness, starkness, steadfastness, steadiness, steepness, sternness, stiffness, stillness, stinginess, stoutness, strangeness, stubbornness, sturdiness, suddenness, suggestiveness, sweetness, swiftness, tardiness, tartness, tastiness, tenderness, tetanus, thickness, thinness, thoroughness, thoughtfulness, tightness, timeliness, tiredness, togetherness, toughness, trustworthiness, truthfulness, ugliness, uneasiness, unfairness, unhappiness, uniqueness, unpleasantness, unwieldiness, unwillingness, usefulness, vagueness, vastness, venous, villainous, vindictiveness, vividness, voluminous, wariness, wastefulness, waterishness, weakness, weariness, weirdness, wellness, wetness, whiteness, wholeness, wholesomeness, wickedness, wilderness, wildness, willingness, wimpiness, wistfulness, witness, wonderfulness, worldliness, worthiness, wryness. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-c-e-e-e-l-n-r-s-s-s-s" | |
-1 letter: clearnesses. | |
-2 letters: creaseless, realnesses. | |
-3 letters: ancresses, ceaseless, cleansers, clearness, crassness, senseless. | |
-4 letters: careless, caresses, casernes, classers, cleaners, cleanser, cleanses, essences, realness, reassess, recesses, recleans, releases, rescales, scarless. | |
-5 letters: ancress, asceses, careens, carless, caserne, caserns, censers, cereals, classer, classes, cleaner, cleanse, creases, creeses, crenels, cresses, earless, encases, enlaces, essence, lancers, leaners, leasers, lessees, lessens, rassles, recanes. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-c-e-e-e-l-n-r-s-s-s-s" | |
+1 letter: gracelessness. | |
+2 letters: carelessnesses. | |
+3 letters: gracelessnesses, irasciblenesses. | |
+5 letters: crestfallennesses, disgracefulnesses, inscrutablenesses, respectablenesses, serviceablenesses, straitlacednesses, symmetricalnesses. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Photo Album 7. Quotations: Familiar 8. Quotations: Non-fiction | 9. Usage Frequency 10. Expressions 11. Translations: Modern 12. Translations: Ancient | 13. Derivations 14. Rhymes 15. Anagrams 16. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.