Basic Details
Word: Heedless
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Not paying attention to a warning or a danger; careless about what might happen.
Synonyms: careless, reckless, unmindful
Antonyms: careful, mindful, cautious
How to Spell Heedless
Syllables: heed - less
Tricky part: Heed has a double e, and the ending less has a double s. Students often drop one of each.
Watch out for: heedles, hedless, heedliss
Memory tip: To heed is to listen to advice. If you take less heed, you become heedless: two e's in heed, two s's in less.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Heedless of the rain, the children kept playing football in the mud.
Example 2: A heedless remark at dinner upset my aunt for the whole evening.
Example 3: The coach warned that heedless passing would cost us the match.
Fun Fact
Heed goes back to the Old English verb hedan, which meant to guard or take care of something.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Which of these words takes the suffix to make a real word?
-less
a) bright
b) heed
c) quick
d) honest
Show answer
b) heed. Heed + less makes heedless; honestless, quickless and brightless are not words.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word heedless as used in the sentence:
Heedless of the warning signs, the tourists climbed onto the slippery rocks beside the waterfall.
a) mindful
b) reckless
c) careless
d) unaware
Show answer
a) mindful. Being heedless is ignoring a warning, while mindful people pay attention to it.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The heedles driver sped through the crowded market, ignoring the policeman who waved at him to slow down near the school.
a) heedles
b) policeman
c) crowded
d) ignoring
Show answer
a) heedles. The suffix less always ends in a double s.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A heedless cyclist would most likely ____.
a) wear a helmet and lights
b) ride without looking at the traffic
c) stop at every red light
d) check the brakes daily
Show answer
b) ride without looking at the traffic
2. Which of these would a heedless swimmer ignore?
a) the sound of the seagulls
b) the colour of the towels
c) the red danger flag
d) the warm afternoon sun
Show answer
c) the red danger flag
