careless

/ˈkeələs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkerləs/ (ame, ipa)

careless — adjective

1. doing things without enough thought or attention, which often leads to mistakes,

1.形容詞A2
釋義

doing things without enough thought or attention, which often leads to mistakes, accidents, or damage to people or things

例句

Isabela made a careless mistake on her tax return and had to pay a fine.

collocation: careless mistake

The night-shift nurse was careless with the medication dosage and had to report the error.

pattern: careless with [object/thing]

同義詞
  • sloppy

    suggests messy or untidy work; less formal than careless

  • negligent

    more formal; often used in legal or professional contexts for failing in a duty

  • reckless

    stronger — means someone ignores serious danger on purpose

反義詞
  • careful

    the direct opposite

  • thorough

    emphasizes doing a complete and detailed job

文法句型

careless + noun

be + careless

careless about + noun/gerund

careless with + noun

常見錯誤

❌He was careless for his homework.
✅He was careless with his homework.
💡Use 'with' for the thing that is handled without care.
❌She is a very careless person for details.
✅She is very careless about details.
💡Use 'about' to say what area or topic someone ignores.

2. behaving in a relaxed, confident way that shows you are not worried about anythi

2.形容詞B2
釋義

behaving in a relaxed, confident way that shows you are not worried about anything, especially in a way that seems natural and attractive

例句

Mayumi walked into the room with a careless grace that made everyone turn to look.

collocation: careless grace

Gabriel gave a careless shrug and went back to reading his book.

collocation: careless shrug

同義詞
  • carefree

    more common in everyday speech; suggests happiness and lack of worry

  • casual

    focuses on lack of effort or formality, not necessarily confidence

  • effortless

    suggests something looks easy and natural, often used about skills or style

反義詞
  • anxious

    the opposite of relaxed

  • tense

    suggests nervous energy instead of calm confidence

文法句型

careless + noun (e.g. grace, confidence, laugh, shrug)

用法筆記

This sense is positive or neutral — it describes a relaxed, unaffected quality. It is common in descriptions of art, fashion, movement, and personal style. Do not confuse with sense 1 (NOT CAREFUL), which is always critical or negative.

常見錯誤

❌She is so careless about her appearance — she never combs her hair.' (negative judgment)
✅She has a careless elegance that makes her look effortlessly stylish.
💡Sense 2 is positive; if you want to criticise, use sense 1.