HEEDLESSNESS Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

heedlessness

noun

as in negligence

failure to take the care that a cautious person usually takes the dog's lack of protection against rabies was purely due to his owner's heedlessness

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of heedlessness Holden’s moral rigor is refreshing in a cultural moment marked by an unsettling mix of cynicism and heedlessness. — Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026 The heedlessness of the children has touched her mood. — Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for heedlessness

Noun

Protesters said that rampant graft led to negligence during renovation work at the Novi Sad station, and eventually to the canopy collapse.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Hwang had barred Rinderknecht’s attorney, Steve Haney, from raising allegations of negligence by the fire department.

— Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of negligence

Noun

Her behavior shows a carelessness about money, the kind of real money that could send a person to college.

— Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 19 Oct. 2026
But that drop in intensity quickly veered into carelessness, with the defence failing to assert its composure amid loose passes and hapless communication mix-ups.

— Chris McKenna, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of carelessness

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heedlessly

heedlessness

heeds

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“Heedlessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heedlessness. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of heedlessness

noun

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