irresponsible

1 of 2

adjective

ir·​re·​spon·​si·​ble ˌir-i-ˈspän(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce irresponsible (audio)
: not responsible: such as
a
: lacking a sense of responsibility
b
: said or done with no sense of responsibility
irresponsible accusations
c
: unable especially mentally or financially to bear responsibility
d
: not answerable to higher authority
an irresponsible dictatorship
irresponsibility noun
irresponsibleness noun
irresponsibly adverb

irresponsible

2 of 2

noun

: a person who is irresponsible

Examples of irresponsible in a Sentence

Adjective He's too irresponsible to keep a job for more than a week. She made irresponsible comments that helped cause the riot. It would be irresponsible to ignore the threats.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
After severely burning her skin, Natalia Armstrong is warning her followers against any irresponsible uses of a tanning bed. Staff Author, People.com, 31 Jan. 2025 President Trump did no one any favors and his irresponsible accusations were meant to confuse and spread an unfounded conspiracy while both trying to score political points as well as frighten the flying public needlessly. Michael B. Teiger, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2025 Perez and Albritton quickly swatted down the governor’s idea, saying a special session was premature and potentially irresponsible, and that the issues were better suited for Florida’s regular session, which begins in March. Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2025 The breed was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2010, but the breed has come under fire after being at the center of stories involving irresponsible ownership, poor breeding practices and biting incidents. Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for irresponsible 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1648, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of irresponsible was in 1648

Dictionary Entries Near irresponsible

Cite this Entry

“Irresponsible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irresponsible. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

irresponsible

adjective
ir·​re·​spon·​si·​ble
ˌir-i-ˈspän(t)-sə-bəl
1
: not legally responsible
2
: having or showing no sense of responsibility
irresponsible behavior
3
: unable to bear responsibility
irresponsibility
-ˌspän(t)-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē
noun
irresponsibly
-ˈspän(t)-sə-blē
adverb

Medical Definition

irresponsible

adjective
ir·​re·​spon·​si·​ble ˌir-i-ˈspän(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce irresponsible (audio)
: not responsible : mentally inadequate to bear responsibility
irresponsibility noun
plural irresponsibilities

More from Merriam-Webster on irresponsible

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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