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