noun
imprudence
im-PROO-dunts/ɪmˈpruːdns/
Lack of sensible caution or practical judgment.
Stepping onto the visibly cracked ladder shows the man's imprudence.
Etymology
The base means 'to foresee,' so imprudence originally expresses a lack of foresight. That connects heedlessness about what may happen with the present sense of poor judgment or insufficient caution.
In context
it was not verses that conquered me, but my own simplicity; it was not music made me yield, but my own imprudence; my own great ignorance and little caution
More examples
- Her imprudence with confidential information puts the whole project at risk.
- He regrets the imprudence of lending money without a written agreement.
- Ignoring the storm warnings is an act of imprudence.
Forms
imprudence
imprudent adjective — Lacking sensible caution or practical judgment.
imprudently adverb — Without sensible caution or practical judgment.
Similar words
- recklessness
- Suggests a stronger disregard for known dangers.
- carelessness
- Emphasizes inattention rather than a failure of judgment.
- folly
- Often stresses the foolishness of a decision or action.