as in reckless
having or showing a lack of concern for the consequences of one's actions
a harum-scarum dash through the crowded terminal to make the flight
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in frantically
in a confused and reckless manner
tossed everything harum-scarum from the closet in a desperate attempt to find her shoes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of harum-scarum
Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 4 May 2025
Adjective
Years of harum-scarum borrowing and spending combined with economic wallops from the Covid-19 pandemic, soaring interest rates and inflation helped drive up Kenya’s debt to $80 billion.
—Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 4 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harum-scarum
Adjective
-
That came four plays before Maye threw another reckless pass into a crowd of Seahawks that fell incomplete.—
Doug Kyed,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Nationalists cheered Takaichi for her intervention on the issue, which went much further than sitting Japanese leaders have gone previously, while others criticized it as reckless.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
8 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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Footage captures the chaotic initial response, with officers unsure if the shooter remained in the building and frantically searching for victims.—
Kimberlee Kruesi,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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At the same time, as influential tech journalist Casey Newton noted, TikTok’s algorithm seemed to fail immediately after the handover, leaving its largely Gen Z fanbase frantically seeking an alternative to the addictive feed.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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With the element of fire as an intensifier, the Fire Horse is the daredevil and thrill-seeker of the lunar cycle.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
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The daredevil athlete scaled the Taipei 101 skyscraper on Jan. 25 with no ropes or protective equipment.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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The Edge Spa, perched on the side of a precipice overlooking Alexander Creek, showcases ingredients grown or wild-harvested on site.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
10 Dec. 2025
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Most of the region's black walnuts are currently wild-foraged and sold by the pound at local hulling centers.—
Randy Moll,
Arkansas Online,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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His daring, sometimes reckless style had caught up to him.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
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Five minutes can be an eternity in montage time, but the movie’s lengthy introduction is a daring announcement of historical scope.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
1 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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Her wildly optimistic logic is that fiscal stimulus will spark growth, and that the private sector will raise long-stagnant wages, thereby increasing tax revenues.—
Jeff Kingston,
Time,
15 Feb. 2026
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The year was 1971, the HUD secretary was George Romney (father of future Utah senator Mitt), and the prediction was wildly off.—
Ben Christopher,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harum-scarum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harum-scarum. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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