Standard Lemma guide

thoughtless

adj · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈθɔːtləs/
  • UK: /ˈθɔːtlɪs/
  • General-American: thôt’ləs
  • General-American: thôt’lĭs
  • General-American: /ˈθɔtləs/
  • General-American: /ˈθɔtlɪs/
  • cot-caught-merger: thät’ləs
  • cot-caught-merger: thät’lĭs
  • cot-caught-merger: /ˈθɑtləs/
  • cot-caught-merger: /ˈθɑtlɪs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɔːtləs
  • CMU ARPABET: TH AO1 T L AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Marked by or showing lack of due thought or care.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: careless, mindless

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Inconsiderate, inattentive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • A thoughtless remark.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Lacking thought or consideration.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The debate turned into thoughtless bickering.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective

Meaning 4

showing lack of careful thought

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the debate turned into thoughtless bickering

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: thoughtful

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

without care or thought for others

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the thoughtless saying of a great princess on being informed that the people had no bread; `Let them eat cake'

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: uncaring, unthinking

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *teng-der. Proto-Germanic *þankijaną Proto-Germanic *þanhtaz Proto-West Germanic *þą̄ht Old English þōht Middle English thought English thought Proto-Indo-European *lewh1- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les English -less English thoughtless From thought + -less.

Across languages

Translations

64 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: необмислен (neobmislen) — careless
  • Bulgarian: безразсъден (bezrazsǎden) — careless
  • Catalan: irreflexiu — careless
  • Catalan: descurat — careless
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不注意 (bù zhùyì) — careless
  • Chinese Mandarin: 粗心 (cūxīn) — careless
  • Chinese Mandarin: 疏忽 (shūhu) — careless
  • Czech: lehkomyslný — careless
  • Finnish: ajattelematon — careless
  • French: irréfléchi — careless
  • Georgian: უდარდელი (udardeli) — careless
  • Georgian: უფიქრებელი (upikrebeli) — careless
  • Georgian: ფუქსავატი (puksavaṭi) — careless
  • German: gedankenlos — careless
  • Ancient Greek: ἀγνώμων (agnṓmōn) — careless
  • Ancient Greek: ἀφρόντιστος (aphróntistos) — careless
  • Italian: irriflessivo — careless
  • Māori: whakaarokore — careless
  • Māori: wareware — careless
  • Māori: pakihaha — careless
  • Plautdietsch: onbekjemmat — careless
  • Polish: lekkomyślny — careless
  • Russian: безду́мный (bezdúmnyj) — careless
  • Russian: легкомы́сленный (lexkomýslennyj) — careless
  • Russian: безрассу́дный (bezrassúdnyj) — careless
  • Scottish Gaelic: coma — careless
  • Spanish: descuidado — careless
  • Swedish: lättvindig — careless
  • Swedish: hänsynslös — careless
  • Ottoman Turkish: حسابسز (hisabsız) — careless
  • Bulgarian: невнимателен (nevnimatelen) — inconsiderate
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不體貼的 /不体贴的 (bù tǐtiē de) — inconsiderate
  • Chinese Mandarin: 粗心大意的 (cūxīndàyì de) — inconsiderate
  • Czech: neohleduplný — inconsiderate
  • Finnish: ajattelematon — inconsiderate
  • French: inattentionné — inconsiderate
  • German: rücksichtslos — inconsiderate
  • Ancient Greek: ἀγνώμων (agnṓmōn) — inconsiderate
  • Ancient Greek: ἀφρόντιστος (aphróntistos) — inconsiderate
  • Latin: incōgitātus — inconsiderate
  • Māori: pakirara — inconsiderate
  • Polish: bezmyślny — inconsiderate
  • Spanish: inconsiderado — inconsiderate
  • Ottoman Turkish: دلی (deli) — inconsiderate
  • Bulgarian: безразсъден (bezrazsǎden) — lacking thought
  • Catalan: irreflexiu — lacking thought
  • Chinese Mandarin: 欠考慮的 /欠考虑的 (qiàn kǎolǜ de) — lacking thought
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不周到的 (bù zhōudào de) — lacking thought
  • Czech: bezmyšlenkovitý — lacking thought
  • Esperanto: senpripensa — lacking thought
  • Finnish: merkityksetön — lacking thought
  • Finnish: ajatukseton — lacking thought
  • French: irréfléchi — lacking thought
  • Georgian: დაუფიქრებელი (daupikrebeli) — lacking thought
  • Georgian: მოუსაზრებელი (mousazrebeli) — lacking thought
  • Georgian: წინდაუხედავი (c̣indauxedavi) — lacking thought
  • German: gedankenlos — lacking thought
  • Italian: irriflessivo — lacking thought
  • Māori: whakaarokore — lacking thought
  • Polish: bezmyślny — lacking thought
  • Portuguese: irreflexivo — lacking thought
  • Spanish: irreflexivo — lacking thought
  • Swedish: tanklös — lacking thought
  • Swedish: oreflekterad — lacking thought
Real reading context

thoughtless in complete knowledge articles