reckless

adj.

1. 1. Heedless or careless.
   2. Headstrong; rash.
2. Indifferent to or disregardful of consequences: a reckless driver.

[Middle English reckeles, from Old English rēcelēas.]

recklessly reck'less·ly adv.
recklessness reck'less·ness n.

SYNONYMS  reckless, rash, precipitate, foolhardy, temerarious. These adjectives mean given to or marked by unthinking boldness. Reckless suggests wild carelessness and disregard for consequences: “conceiving measures to protect the fur-bearing animals from reckless slaughter” (Getrude Atherton). Rash implies haste, impetuousness, and insufficient consideration: “Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash” (George S. Patton). Precipitate connotes headlong haste without due deliberation: “destroyed in a precipitate burning of his papers a few days before his death” (James Boswell). Foolhardy implies injudicious or imprudent boldness: a foolhardy attempt to wrest the gun from the mugger. Temerarious suggests reckless presumption: “this temerarious foeman who dared intervene between himself [the elephant] and his intended victim” (Edgar Rice Burroughs).

adjective

1. Lacking or marked by a lack of care: careless, feckless, heedless, inattentive, irresponsible, thoughtless, unconcerned, unmindful, unthinking. See careful/careless.
2. Characterized by unthinking boldness and haste: brash, foolhardy, harum-scarum, hasty, headlong, hotheaded, ill-considered, impetuous, improvident, impulsive, incautious, madcap, precipitant, precipitate, rash¹, slapdash, temerarious, unconsidered. See careful/careless.

adj

Definition: irresponsible in thought, deed
Antonyms: careful, cautious, prudent, responsible, wary

---

Careless, heedless, inattentive to duty. The word "reckless" has a wide range of meaning that may vary in color and content according to the circumstances and the time in which it is used. Some cases hold that the term implies more than carelessness, and in fact reaches the equivalent of "willfulness." In this sense, the term may be used as meaning "foolishly heedless of danger; headlong; impetuously or rashly adventurous; indifferent to consequences; mindless; not caring or noting; . . . Rash; . . . Or very negligent." 26 P. 2d 573, 577.

In the criminal area the modern trend is to define "recklessly" with regard to a material element of an offense as conscious disregard of a "substantial and unjustifiable risk that the material element exists or will result from his conduct. The risk must be of such a nature and degree that, considering the nature and purpose of the actor's conduct and the circumstances known to him, its disregard involves a gross deviation from the standard of conduct that a law-abiding person would observe in the actor's situation." Model Penal Code §2.02. Recklessness in this sense imports wanton indifference to the consequences of one's acts. Compare negligence.

IN BRIEF: Not careful; taking chances with one's own safety or the safety of others.

It is dangerous to ride with a reckless driver.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - ubekymret, uforsvarlig, hensynsløs

Nederlands (Dutch)
roekeloos

Français (French)
adj. - téméraire, imprudent

Deutsch (German)
adj. - rücksichtslos, unbesonnen

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - απερίσκεπτος, απρόσεκτος, αλόγιστος, ασυλλόγιστος, αψήφιστος, παράτολμος, ακατάσχετος

Italiano (Italian)
temerario, imprudente

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - irresponsável, imprudente, inconseqüente

Русский (Russian)
безрассудный, опрометчивый

Español (Spanish)
adj. - temerario, imprudente

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - vårdslös, likgiltig

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
不注意的, 不在乎的, 鲁莽的, 不顾后果的

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 不注意的, 不在乎的, 魯莽的, 不顧後果的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 부주의한, 앞뒤를 가리지 않는, 개의치 않는

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 向こう見ずな, 無謀な, 気にかけない, 無頓着な

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) طائش, متهور, مهمل‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮פוחז, לא אכפתי, נמהר, פזיז‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.