heedless
gb/hˈɛdləs/ us/hˈɛdləs/
C1
English
~ 9800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
C1
property
1
not paying attention; careless
Not paying attention to danger, advice, or what may happen; acting in a careless way.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is heedless of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "heedless" means the same as "useless" because the words look similar, but "heedless" is about not paying attention or not caring about danger or advice. Another common mistake is using the wrong preposition, such as *heedless to* or *heedless about*; the most natural and frequent pattern is *heedless of [something]*.
Synonyms
careless (More common and general; can be about small, everyday mistakes, while "heedless" often suggests ignoring danger, warnings, or consequences.)
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reckless (Stronger and more negative; often suggests taking serious risks, especially with safety, while "heedless" can be slightly softer or more about inattention.)
Antonyms
careful (Opposite because it means paying close attention and trying to avoid problems or danger.)
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mindful (Opposite because it means being aware of and considering other people, risks, or effects when you act.)
Collocations
heedless of
|heedless disregard
|heedless spending
|heedless drivers
|heedless behavior
Themes
behavior
|safety
|character
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- He was heedless of the icy roads and drove far too fast.
- Their heedless spending left them deep in debt by the end of the year.
- She walked on, heedless of the storm warnings flashing on her phone.
- The company’s heedless disregard for safety regulations led to several serious accidents.
- He made a heedless comment that hurt everyone in the room.
Learner examples
- He was heedless of the red warning sign on the door.
- She is heedless of her parents’ advice about money.
- The driver was heedless of the speed limit on that street.
- They were heedless of the danger and went into the old building.
- He spoke in a heedless way and made his friend angry.
Grammar
Dictionary form
heedless
IPA
GB/hˈɛdləs/
US/hˈɛdləs/
Syllables & stress
heed - less (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (heed)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: heedless
Word family
Core family
heed
verb B2
heedlessly
adverb
Related words
heedful
adjective
Advanced or less common
heedlessness
noun
Expressions
heedless disregard
1/hˈɛdləs dˌɪsɹɪɡˈɑɹd/
fixed phrase
formal
total lack of attention or care
A strong way to say that someone does not care at all about danger, rules, or other people when they act.
Examples
- The report accused the company of heedless disregard for environmental laws.
- His driving showed a heedless disregard for the safety of others.
heedless of
1/hˈɛdləs əv/
fixed phrase
not paying attention to something
Not paying attention to a specific thing, such as a warning, problem, or person’s feelings.
Examples
- He drove on, heedless of the shouts behind him.
- She kept working, heedless of the pain in her back.
heedless spending
1/hˈɛdləs spˈɛndɪŋ/
fixed phrase
careless or wasteful use of money
Spending money in a careless way without thinking about what may happen later.
Examples
- Years of heedless spending left them with a huge credit-card bill.
- The government was criticized for heedless spending during the boom years.