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be careless
/biː ˈkeələs/
not paying attention to details
She was careless with her keys and lost them.
She didn't pay attention to where she put her keys and lost them.
informal
to not be careful or attentive; to make mistakes due to lack of attention
He was careless with his words and hurt her feelings.
He spoke without thinking and accidentally hurt her feelings.
The driver was careless and caused an accident.
The driver was not paying attention and caused a crash.
Often used to describe someone who is not careful or attentive, leading to mistakes or accidents.
Collocations
be careless withnot careful withcareless mistakean error made due to lack of attention
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Usage
This phrase is often used to criticize someone for not being careful enough.
Gold Rule
Avoid Being Careless
Always double-check your work to avoid careless mistakes.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'careles,' meaning 'without care,' from 'care' (worry) + '-less' (without).
Usage Notes
This phrase is commonly used to describe someone who is not paying attention or is making mistakes due to lack of focus.
Word Breakdown
be
auxiliary verb indicating state
auxiliarycareless
not careful or attentive
adjectiveEnglish Dictionary