incautious

adjective

in·​cau·​tious (ˌ)in-ˈkȯ-shəs How to pronounce incautious (audio)
: lacking in caution : careless
an incautious remark
incautiously adverb
incautiousness noun

Examples of incautious in a Sentence

He offended several people with his incautious remarks. Their incautious behavior is going to get them into trouble someday.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Compared to those debts, however, credit card debt can feel like an emblem of incautious spending, poor planning or bad budgeting. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 9 June 2025 The pace of activity quickens in the final few days and the last hours can be especially perilous to the public interest as legislators make incautious deals to get their own languishing proposals passed. Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 4 May 2024 Nationalists call on the state to punish disloyal actors, such as Western brands, Chinese feminists, and incautious celebrities. Chang Che, The New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2024 Yet that may send the message that both borrowers and lenders can continue pursuing incautious practices in the expectation of a bailout. Keith Bradsher, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2023 See All Example Sentences for incautious

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1703, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of incautious was circa 1703

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Incautious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incautious. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

incautious

adjective
in·​cau·​tious (ˈ)in-ˈkȯ-shəs How to pronounce incautious (audio)
: not cautious : rash
incautiously adverb
incautiousness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!