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thoughtlessly

B2
adverb

Pronunciation

UK

  • /θˈɔːtləsli/

US

  • /θˈɔːtləsli/

Description

To act thoughtlessly is like letting your actions move faster than your mind. It means doing or saying something without stopping to think carefully first. Sometimes this means not thinking about the result, and sometimes it means not thinking about other people.

It does not always mean the person wanted to cause harm. More often, they simply failed to pause. Someone might thoughtlessly throw away an important note, spend money they needed later, or reveal a secret that was shared in trust. In each case, the action feels careless because there was too little thought before it happened.

Examples

  1. 1

    Everyday mistake

    He thoughtlessly threw the receipt away before checking whether he could return the shirt.

  2. 2

    Hurtful laughter

    She laughed thoughtlessly at his accent and then saw his face change.

  3. 3

    Money habits

    They had been spending money thoughtlessly for months, and suddenly they couldn't pay the rent.

  4. 4

    Workplace scheduling

    The manager thoughtlessly changed the schedule without asking if anyone had childcare problems.

  5. 5

    Small jokes

    Even a small joke can hurt someone if it's made thoughtlessly.

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • thoughtlesslyadverb