devil-may-care

Examples

• All

• Her devil-may-care attitude made her popular but got her into trouble often.

• With the wild success of the book and the brilliance of their marriage, Scott and Zelda embarked on a decade-long odyssey as the brilliant young couple whose beauty, charm, and sense of fun embodied the devil-may-care spirit of the postwar generation.

  Academic text (2000)

• I love this new devil-may-care side of you.

  Being John Malkovich (1999)

• Look, I know that I can come across a little bit... devil-may-care, and it kind of works for me.

  The Leisure Class (2015)

• Personally, I think you look a bit more devil-may-care this way but it's up to you.

  Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

• They have a devil-may-care attitude and they run this town.

  Free Guy (2021)

• But he added to all of these a spirit of independence and devil-may-care brashness.

  Academic text (2005)

• Jesse is lighthearted, reckless, and devil-may-care.

  The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

• Dark and mysterious, he dresses completely in black and rules the underworld of London with a carefully affected Cockney accent and a devil-may-care attitude.

  Blog text (7)

• I've noticed on this part of the journey that some things are better left to the young, with their cocky devil-may-care attitudes, but other things require wisdom, grace, and experience that comes with age.

  Blog text (26)

Synonyms

I

irresponsible

vsdevil-may-care

203 3.2

Not thinking about what will happen after you act

adds a careless, unconcerned spirit that makes risky choices seem unimportant

R

reckless

vsdevil-may-care

193 3.6

Acting without care about danger or the results

combines that danger disregard with a light unconcerned, carefree attitude

C

carefree

vsdevil-may-care

41 2.9

Not feeling worried or responsible

adds a stronger element of risky thoughtlessness beyond simple lack of worry

F

foolhardy

vsdevil-may-care

16 7.4

Taking dangerous risks without thinking about what will happen

is similarly unconcerned but more relaxed and light-hearted in tone

H

happy-go-lucky

vsdevil-may-care

12 6.1

A person who is cheerful and does not worry about future problems

adds a more reckless, daring edge beyond simple carefree optimism

F

freewheeling

vsdevil-may-care

• Informal

6 6.3

Behaving without strict rules and doing what you want

focuses more on rule-free freedom while still including risky indifference

R

rash

vsdevil-may-care

3 4.3

Acting without careful thought and likely to cause problems

is similar but adds a breezy, easygoing lack of worry about outcomes

I

incautious

vsdevil-may-care

1 6.7

Not careful about possible danger or harm

adds a confident, carefree attitude rather than mere absence of caution

C

cavalier

vsdevil-may-care

1 7.7

Not showing enough care for something important or for other people

shares the lack of concern but lacks the casual cheerful indifference

U

uncareful

vsdevil-may-care

1 5.7

Someone who does not pay attention and often causes mistakes or harm

is more of an attitude, adding light-hearted unconcern to simple carelessness

S

slaphappy

vsdevil-may-care

• Informal

8.4

Acting cheerful and not careful about work or duties

keeps that cheerful unconcern while still showing risky, careless behaviour

H

harum-scarum

vsdevil-may-care

• Archaic

9.9

Careless and lively in a way that causes trouble

is the same lack of care but with an added easygoing nonchalance

Antonyms

C

cautious

210 2.9

Careful to avoid risk or mistakes

P

prudent

94 6.2

Being careful and thinking ahead when you make decisions

How Carefree

reckless

193 3.6

devil-may-care

• Informal

4 8.1

blithe

5 7.5

carefree

41 2.9

laid-back

• Informal

30 3.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology