Paul Preston, The (London) Times Literary Supplement, 14 Dec. 1990
Did you know?
If you were alive and of whistling age in the late 1980s or early 1990s, chances are you whistled (and snapped your fingers, and tapped your toes) to a little ditty called “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin, an a cappella reggae-jazz-pop tune that took the charts by surprise and by storm. An ode to cheerful insouciance if ever there was one, its lyrics are entirely concerned with being entirely unconcerned, remaining trouble-free in the face of life’s various stressors and calamities. Such carefree nonchalance is at the heart of insouciance, which arrived in English (along with the adjective insouciant), from French, in the 1800s. The French word comes from a combining of the negative prefix in- with the verb soucier, meaning “to trouble or disturb.” The easiness and breeziness of insouciance isn’t always considered beautiful, however. Insouciance may also be used when someone’s lack of concern for serious matters is seen as more careless than carefree.
Examples of insouciance in a Sentence
Alison Herman, Variety, 1 June 2026
Gentle, barely there long layers offer further softness to Margot Robbie’s near-blunt bob, the subtle framing providing extra insouciance.
—Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 27 May 2026
And Sexyy’s performances are lifeless, devoid of the color and insouciance that made Hood Hottest Princess a romp.
—Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
Wars deserve more than improvisation and insouciance.
—Kenneth Zagacki, Sun Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insouciance
Cite this Entry
“Insouciance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insouciance. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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