Meaning & use
carelessly
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Meaning
adverb
In a way that shows a lack of attention or thought, often causing mistakes or harm.
Grammar: Used to describe how an action is done; it often comes after the verb or at the start of a sentence.
Patterns
- do something carelessly
- carelessly leave something
- carelessly handled
She carelessly left her passport on the bus.
He drove carelessly and nearly hit a cyclist.
The report was carelessly written, with many spelling errors.
Common combinations
- carelessly thrown away
- The letter was carelessly thrown away with the junk mail.
- carelessly worded
- His carelessly worded email upset several colleagues.
- act carelessly
- If you act carelessly, you may lose your deposit.
- carelessly handled
- The fragile package was carelessly handled and arrived broken.
Synonyms and how they differ
- negligently
- Stronger and more formal; it suggests a legal or moral failure to take proper care.
- sloppily
- Focuses on a messy or untidy result rather than a lack of attention.
- thoughtlessly
- Emphasizes not thinking about other people's feelings or needs.
Opposites
Word family
- careless adjective
- Not giving enough attention to what you are doing.
- carelessness noun
- The quality of not being careful.
Commonly confused: carelessly or casually?
carelessly vs casually
Casually means in a relaxed or informal way, without implying blame; carelessly suggests a fault or bad result.
Practice
He ___ knocked over the glass and it broke.
Choose one answer.
The adverb 'carelessly' correctly describes how he knocked over the glass. 'Careless' is an adjective and would need a verb like 'was'. The other options are not grammatical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “carelessly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.