insouciant

American  

[in-soo-see-uhnt, an-soo-syahn] / ɪnˈsu si ənt, ɛ̃ suˈsyɑ̃ /

adjective

1. free from concern, worry, or anxiety; carefree; nonchalant.

   Synonyms:

   unconcerned, easygoing, relaxed, breezy, jaunty, lighthearted

---

insouciant British  

/ ɪnˈsuːsɪənt /

adjective

1. carefree or unconcerned; light-hearted

---

Other Word Forms

• insouciance noun
• insouciantly adverb

Etymology

Origin of insouciant

First recorded in 1820–30; from French, equivalent to in- in- ³ + souciant “worrying,” present participle of soucier “to worry,” from Vulgar Latin sollicītāre (unrecorded), from Latin sollicitāre “to disturb”; solicitous

Example Sentences

This column had a couple of great calls, to buy Treasurys at the start of the year and to fear tariffs when the market was insouciant about import taxes.

From The Wall Street Journal

When Chishiya’s partner loses his nerve, he’s left as the odd man out, relying on his insouciant swagger to exacerbate the other characters’ insecurities.

From Salon

Tall and lean, Mr. Shih smiled for the cameras, his hands tucked in his pockets, in what he said was an effort to convey insouciant confidence.

From New York Times

This demand gives the lie to a common misconception of liberalism, namely, that it is an ethic of insouciant self-indulgence, a politics for blithe egoists.

From Salon

Reva said he was confident that the soul of Odesa — insouciant, sardonic, seductive — would survive the war.

From Los Angeles Times