ir·re·spon·si·ble
ˌir-i-ˈspän(t)-sə-bəl 
: 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
: a person who is irresponsible
Synonyms
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
David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
This is dangerous and irresponsible in an election period, and there is no justification for why ads containing election disinformation are rejected in the U.S. but accepted in India.
—Billy Perrigo, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024
And frankly, framing it as a serious movement or pending policy matter is irresponsible.
—Brian Menickella, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
As Forbes points out in its report, the bulk of its enforcement targets drone flyers who cause injury, damage property, or show off incredibly irresponsible footage online.
—Jim Fisher, PCMAG, 11 Apr. 2024
Sarah McIntosh, who represents southeast Louisville, said basing busing access on rates of poverty — which are quantified by the number of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch — would be irresponsible because those rates fluctuate.
—Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 10 Apr. 2024
To feign ignorance or refuse to engage with the underlying processes behind AI in an attempt to dodge responsibility, save costs, or cut corners, is irresponsible and dangerous.
—Quora, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
But be careful that your giving doesn’t enable irresponsible family and friends.
—Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024
Someone took a dining-room-table-size portion of them out of the woods not long ago, and irresponsible foragers sell masses of them to restaurants.
—Daryln Brewer Hoffstot Kristian Thacker, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Norman said that some of the shootings occurred due to negligence among gun owners and irresponsible conflict.
—David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
This is dangerous and irresponsible in an election period, and there is no justification for why ads containing election disinformation are rejected in the U.S. but accepted in India.
—Billy Perrigo, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024
And frankly, framing it as a serious movement or pending policy matter is irresponsible.
—Brian Menickella, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
As Forbes points out in its report, the bulk of its enforcement targets drone flyers who cause injury, damage property, or show off incredibly irresponsible footage online.
—Jim Fisher, PCMAG, 11 Apr. 2024
Sarah McIntosh, who represents southeast Louisville, said basing busing access on rates of poverty — which are quantified by the number of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch — would be irresponsible because those rates fluctuate.
—Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 10 Apr. 2024
To feign ignorance or refuse to engage with the underlying processes behind AI in an attempt to dodge responsibility, save costs, or cut corners, is irresponsible and dangerous.
—Quora, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
But be careful that your giving doesn’t enable irresponsible family and friends.
—Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024
Someone took a dining-room-table-size portion of them out of the woods not long ago, and irresponsible foragers sell masses of them to restaurants.
—Daryln Brewer Hoffstot Kristian Thacker, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'irresponsible.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near irresponsible
Cite this Entry
“Irresponsible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irresponsible. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
irresponsible
adjective
ir·re·spon·si·ble
ˌir-i-ˈspän(t)-sə-bəl
: not responsible : mentally inadequate to bear responsibility
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