1
as in nonchalant
having or showing freedom from worries or trouble
the insouciant gaiety of the idle rich
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in casual
having or showing a lack of interest or concern
an insouciant attitude about punctuality that is really discourteous to her coworkers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of insouciant
Midi lengths refuse to commit to long or short camps, settling in the middle for a moment that's polished and truly insouciant.
—
Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 1 Apr. 2026
There is nothing insouciant about me.
—Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 27 Mar. 2026
Even now, almost two decades after his death, the French couturier remains a household name, synonymous with effortless style and an insouciant sexiness that few can hope to capture in quite the same way.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2026
Brigitte Bardot, the French actor, style icon, and animal activist who fixated the world with her insouciant, smoky-eyed sensuality, has died aged 91.
—Isobel Thompson, Vogue, 28 Dec. 2025
His magical renovation of Villa Mabrouka—the late Yves Saint Laurent's Tangier bolt-hole, with a Slim Aarons–worthy kidney-bean pool just outside the casbah—is as immaculately dressed down as an insouciant white linen shirt.
—Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2023
Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 1 Apr. 2026
There is nothing insouciant about me.
—Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 27 Mar. 2026
Even now, almost two decades after his death, the French couturier remains a household name, synonymous with effortless style and an insouciant sexiness that few can hope to capture in quite the same way.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2026
Brigitte Bardot, the French actor, style icon, and animal activist who fixated the world with her insouciant, smoky-eyed sensuality, has died aged 91.
—Isobel Thompson, Vogue, 28 Dec. 2025
His magical renovation of Villa Mabrouka—the late Yves Saint Laurent's Tangier bolt-hole, with a Slim Aarons–worthy kidney-bean pool just outside the casbah—is as immaculately dressed down as an insouciant white linen shirt.
—Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insouciant
Adjective
-
Slattery has a knack for giving big performances that also feel nonchalant, almost like he’s been there in that backyard the whole time yelling about lettuce, and a TV production just happened to set up shop around him.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
In the world of street style, models offer a particular brand of nonchalant cool that the industry has long been obsessed with.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
25 May 2026
Adjective
-
Just beyond the front desk, a fire roars behind a massive stone hearth, and a live piano plays in the heart of the resort, the lobby lounge (dubbed the Living Room), a choice spot for lunch, casual meetings, or pre-dinner drinks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Goodman, with her friendly, approachable writing style, demystified what had previously been a wonky, mathematical discipline, allowing even casual readers to feel a newfound connection with the tides of the universe.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
And yet Guardiola’s time at the club cannot be measured simply in numbers and statistics and should not be seen as a carefree march to silverware.—
Sam Lee,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
-
Summer jewelry calls for playful shell motifs, decking out your ankles, and embracing the season's most carefree trends.—
Frances Solá-Santiago,
InStyle,
24 May 2026
Adjective
-
For all the council’s talk of LA being a sanctuary city, our leaders appear unconcerned about whether members of vulnerable communities can afford to live in the city.—
Henry Mantel,
Daily News,
27 May 2026
-
Investors didn't get a lot of answers, but were mostly unconcerned.—
Jennifer Elias,Ari Levy,
CNBC,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
The testimony consistently deployed a cavalier attitude about money.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
20 May 2026
-
The fact that anyone at the top is shocked by snaking security lines at airports is of a piece with the administration’s rather cavalier approach to contingency planning.—
Juliette Kayyem,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insouciant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insouciant. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
