Careless describes a lack of attention, caution, or thoughtfulness in performing tasks or making decisions, often resulting in mistakes, accidents, or unintended negative consequences. A careless person may fail to follow through on details, overlook important aspects, or act in a way that shows a disregard for potential risks or outcomes. The term usually carries a negative connotation, indicating irresponsibility or negligence. In Indonesian, careless can be translated as “ceroboh” or “lalai.”
Some synonyms for careless include: negligent, reckless, thoughtless, hasty, sloppy, unconcerned, irresponsible, inattentive, unfocused, and carefree.
Example Sentences Using Careless:
- His careless handling of the equipment led to it breaking down.
- She made a careless mistake on the report, which caused confusion at the meeting.
- The careless driver ran through the red light without even looking.
- He was careless with his words, and it hurt his friend’s feelings.
- A careless attitude toward safety can lead to serious accidents.
- The careless actions of the staff member caused the system to crash.
- She lost her job due to her careless work habits and constant mistakes.
- The careless child broke the vase while playing in the living room.
- His careless approach to budgeting led him to run out of money by the end of the month.
- Careless mistakes in your calculations can have serious consequences in engineering projects.
Related Words:
- Negligent
- Reckless
- Irresponsible
- Thoughtless
- Sloppy
- Hasty
- Inattentive
- Unconcerned
- Unfocused
- Disorganized
Phrasal Verbs Related to Careless:
- Be careless about
- Make a careless mistake
- Act carelessly
- Handle something carelessly
- Leave something careless
- Take a careless risk
- Go about something carelessly
- Overlook something carelessly
- Miss details carelessly
- Drop the ball (a more figurative expression for making a careless mistake)
Idiomatic Expressions Related to Careless:
- Slip up (to make a careless mistake)
- Drop the ball (to fail to do something properly due to carelessness)
- Leave something to chance (to handle a situation carelessly, without careful planning)
- Miss the boat (to fail to take an opportunity because of carelessness)
- Let your guard down (to become less careful, often leading to mistakes)
- Turn a blind eye (to deliberately ignore something that needs attention, showing carelessness)
- Take your eye off the ball (to lose focus, leading to careless mistakes)
- Put something on the back burner (to disregard something that needs attention, typically out of carelessness)
- Let things slide (to neglect responsibilities or tasks due to carelessness)
- Cut corners (to do something hastily and carelessly to save time or effort)
Being careless in everyday situations often leads to undesirable consequences, whether it’s in work, relationships, or personal safety. It reflects a lack of due diligence, planning, or thought, and is generally something to be avoided, particularly in high-stakes or important situations.
