carelessly
gb/kˈɛɹləsli/ us/kˈɛɹləsli/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
adverb
B1
property
1
without enough care or attention
in a way that is not careful
Usage pattern:
[do something] carelessly
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse the adverb carelessly with the adjective careless or use *careless* where *carelessly* is needed (e.g., *He drove careless*).
Synonyms
inattentively (emphasizes not paying attention.)
|
negligently (often suggests a duty was not met.)
|
sloppily (emphasizes poor quality and lack of neatness.)
Antonyms
carefully (with attention and care to avoid errors.)
|
attentively (with focused attention.)
|
meticulously (with extremely careful detail.)
Collocations
carelessly made
|carelessly written
|carelessly handled
|carelessly placed
|carelessly assembled
|carelessly dropped
|carelessly done
|carelessly filled in
|carelessly worded
|carelessly stored
Themes
daily_life
|school
|work
Examples
- She carelessly copied the numbers and got the total wrong.
- The glass broke because it had been carelessly handled.
- He carelessly deleted the file without checking what it contained.
Learner examples
- Please don’t drive carelessly.
- I wrote my name carelessly.
adverb
B2
property
2
in a casual, unconcerned way
in a way that shows you do not care much
Usage pattern:
[say/mention/treat] [someone/something] carelessly
Common mistake:
This sense is about attitude (not caring), not only about making mistakes.
Synonyms
thoughtlessly (emphasizes not thinking about consequences.)
|
indifferently (emphasizes lack of interest or concern.)
|
casually (emphasizes informality; may be less negative.)
Antonyms
considerately (showing care for others’ feelings.)
|
thoughtfully (with careful consideration.)
|
seriously (with concern and importance.)
Collocations
carelessly dismissed
|carelessly treated
|carelessly ignored
|carelessly mentioned
|carelessly assumed
|carelessly rejected
|carelessly joked
|carelessly commented
|carelessly insulted
|carelessly brushed off
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|communication
Examples
- He carelessly dismissed her concerns as “nothing.”
- She carelessly mentioned his mistake in front of everyone.
- They carelessly assumed the rules didn’t apply to them.
Learner examples
- Don’t speak carelessly to your friends.
adverb
B2
property
3
in a reckless, unsafe way
in a dangerous way because you are not careful
Usage pattern:
[drive/use/operate] carelessly
Common mistake:
Carelessly can overlap with recklessly, but carelessly often implies lack of attention rather than deliberate risk-taking.
Synonyms
recklessly (stronger; suggests obvious risk.)
|
heedlessly (emphasizes ignoring warnings or consequences.)
|
dangerously (focuses on the level of risk created.)
Antonyms
cautiously (with care to avoid danger.)
|
safely (in a way that avoids harm.)
|
responsibly (with appropriate care and judgment.)
Collocations
carelessly drove
|carelessly crossed
|carelessly used
|carelessly operated
|carelessly fired
|carelessly left
|carelessly carried
|carelessly swung
|carelessly lit
|carelessly stored
Themes
safety
|transport
|health
Examples
- He carelessly stepped into the street without looking.
- The workers carelessly stored chemicals near a heat source.
- She carelessly waved the knife around while talking.
Learner examples
- He walked carelessly on the wet floor.
adverb
B1
property
4
in a messy, untidy way
not neatly; in a messy way
Usage pattern:
[be/lie/hang] carelessly [somewhere]
Common mistake:
In this sense, carelessly describes appearance/arrangement (messy), not necessarily an error.
Synonyms
messily (focuses on untidiness.)
|
untidily (neutral description of lack of neatness.)
|
haphazardly (emphasizes lack of order or planning.)
Antonyms
neatly (in an orderly, tidy way.)
|
tidily (with things arranged properly.)
|
orderly (with clear organization.)
Collocations
carelessly dressed
|carelessly arranged
|carelessly scattered
|carelessly piled
|carelessly thrown
|carelessly draped
|carelessly left
|carelessly stacked
|carelessly tossed
|carelessly strewn
Themes
daily_life
|home
Examples
- Books were carelessly piled on the floor.
- His jacket hung carelessly over the back of the chair.
- The papers were carelessly scattered across the desk.
Learner examples
- She left her clothes carelessly on the bed.
Grammar
Dictionary form
carelessly
IPA
GB/kˈɛɹləsli/
US/kˈɛɹləsli/
Syllables & stress
care - lessly (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (care)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: carelessly
- Plural: carelesslies
Word family
Forms
carelesslies
noun
Negative and opposite forms
careless
adjective B1
carelessness
noun B1
Related words
caring
adjective
Expressions
carelessly left behind
1/kˈɛɹləsli lˈɛft bɪhˈaɪnd/
fixed phrase
forgotten and not taken away
forgotten and left somewhere
Examples
- His passport was carelessly left behind in the hotel room.
- A bag was carelessly left behind on the train.
- She realized her keys had been carelessly left behind at the office.
carelessly thrown together
1/kˈɛɹləsli θɹˈoʊn təɡˈɛðɚ/
fixed phrase
made quickly without much thought
made too quickly and not well
Examples
- The report looked like it had been carelessly thrown together at the last minute.
- It’s a carelessly thrown-together plan with no clear budget.
- The costume seemed carelessly thrown together from old clothes.
carelessly tossed aside
1/kˈɛɹləsli tˈɔst əsˈaɪd/
fixed phrase
discarded without thinking or respect
thrown away or put down without care
Examples
- The letter was carelessly tossed aside without being read.
- Wet towels were carelessly tossed aside on the floor.
- After the meeting, the notes were carelessly tossed aside.