Unthoughtful

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Lacking consideration for the feelings or needs of others, exhibiting negligence in thoughtfulness, and showing irresponsibility in one's actions
2. Demonstrating a disregard for the impacts of one's behavior on others, often acting without reflection or care, and neglecting to think about the consequences
3. Exhibiting a failure to be mindful or considerate towards others' feelings, acting impulsively without adequate deliberation, and showing a lack of awareness in social situations

Etymology: "Unthoughtful" is a plain formation: the prefix "un-", meaning "not," attached to "thoughtful." The prefix is an old one in English, descending from a Proto-Germanic form that was already in use by the Old English period, when it appeared in countless words. Its ancestry reaches back to a Proto-Indo-European root for "not," which is the kind of distant origin that explains a prefix but tells you little about the word itself. The more useful way to read "unthoughtful" is through its base. "Thoughtful" carries two senses in English: one is reflective, absorbed in thinking, and the other is considerate of others. "Unthoughtful" takes the second sense, so it describes someone who fails to consider how their actions affect people around them, rather than someone who simply fails to reflect. The negation applies to the courtesy meaning, not to thinking as such.

Synonyms: thoughtless, inconsiderate, careless, unmindful, heedless

Antonyms: thoughtful, considerate, mindful, caring, attentive