✅ Careless describes someone who doesn’t pay proper attention to what they’re doing, especially when that leads them to make mistakes (a careless researcher).

✅ Lackadaisical describes someone who is lazy or disinterested (a lackadaisical employee).

✅ Both careless and lackadaisical describe someone who doesn’t do something properly and therefore can make mistakes, or something that shows evidence of those mistakes (careless writing; a lackadaisical attempt at organizing).

✅ Careless emphasizes not paying enough attention to what you’re doing, whereas lackadaisical emphasizes not putting in enough effort.

Don’t be lackadaisical—take a look at these synonyms!

✅ Compassionate and benevolent both describe people who want to help others (a compassionate and caring friend; a benevolent and well-loved leader).

✅ Compassionate emphasizes wanting to help others because of a sympathy for their suffering or misfortune (He was too compassionate for his own good).

✅ Benevolent emphasizes wanting to help other people out of a sense of goodwill, or a desire to be kind (The CEO became unusually benevolent after a Christmas-time haunting).

Write about a benevolent aunt with the help of Grammar Coach.

✅ Loyal and devoted both describe being emotionally attached to someone or something, and being dedicated to it because of that attachment.

✅ Loyal means being faithful to a person, thing, or cause (a loyal friend; a loyal member of the party), while devoted means being particularly intense or zealous in your attachment (a devoted follower of football; a devoted mother).

✅ Devoted implies feelings of care and love, whereas loyal is less specific: you might be loyal for moral reasons, economic reasons, because you think it’s advantageous to you, or any other reason, including feelings of care and love.

Write about a thing or hobby you’re devoted to with the help of Grammar Coach.