recklessly

recklessly — adverb

1. without caring at all about the danger or harm your actions might cause to yours

1.adverbB2
Definition

without caring at all about the danger or harm your actions might cause to yourself or others

Example

Harper recklessly spent his savings on a used car that broke the next day.

adverb before verb: recklessly + past tense verb

The driver drove recklessly through the narrow streets, nearly hitting a child on a bicycle.

adverb after verb: drove + recklessly

Common collocations
  • drive recklessly
  • spend recklessly
  • act recklessly
  • behave recklessly
  • recklessly brave
  • recklessly dangerous
Synonyms
  • rashly

    focuses on acting too quickly without thinking, stronger on impulsiveness than recklessly

  • carelessly

    suggests not paying enough attention; weaker on the idea of danger

  • thoughtlessly

    emphasises not considering consequences for others or oneself

Antonyms
  • cautiously

    paying careful attention to avoid danger or problems

  • carefully

    with attention to detail and safety

  • prudently

    showing good judgement and avoiding unnecessary risks

Grammar Patterns

verb + recklessly

recklessly + verb

recklessly + adjective

Usage Note

Commonly placed either before or after the action verb it modifies (e.g. recklessly spent or drove recklessly). Can also intensify adjectives such as brave or dangerous, though this pattern is less frequent.

Common Mistakes

He is a recklessly driver.
He is a reckless driver.
Use the adjective reckless before a noun; recklessly is the adverb form.
She drove very reckless.
She drove very recklessly.
After a verb, use the adverb form, not the adjective.

Word family

  • reckless
    adjectiveB1
  • recklessness
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

Rashly, carelessly, thoughtlessly, and imprudently all overlap with recklessly but differ in emphasis. Rashly stresses hasty action without considering alternatives (He rashly quit his job before finding a new one). Carelessly focuses on lack of attention rather than conscious risk-taking (She carelessly left the door unlocked). Thoughtlessly emphasises failing to consider how actions affect others (He thoughtlessly ate the last piece of cake without offering it around). Imprudently, the most formal of the group, suggests poor judgement in managing one's own affairs (They imprudently invested their entire pension in one company). Recklessly carries the strongest sense of knowingly ignoring danger, making it the most severe term in this set.

rashlycarelessly ↗thoughtlesslyimprudently

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed from the adjective reckless (Old English receleas, from reccan 'to care' plus -leas '-less') and the adverbial suffix -ly. The modern meaning of 'without care for danger' has been in use since the 1500s.