Blithe
/blaɪð/
adjectiveC2
Definition
Blithe describes someone who is cheerful and light-hearted, often acting without thinking carefully about possible problems. It can mean being happily careless or showing a joyful spirit, sometimes ignoring serious matters.
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See It in Action
Cheerful and carefree attitude
- •She had a blithe spirit, always smiling even in hard times.
- •His blithe laughter filled the room with joy.
- •The children played with blithe enthusiasm in the park.
Careless or without concern for consequences (sometimes negative)
- •His blithe disregard for the rules caused trouble.
- •She made a blithe decision without thinking about the risks.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "blithe" like "happy" (A1 word), but with a sense of not worrying or thinking too much about troubles
- ✓Picture a person smiling and walking freely on a sunny day, not thinking about any problems
- ✓It's the feeling when you laugh and enjoy the moment, even if things are a little difficult around you
- ✓Sounds like "blight" but without the 't' sound → imagine a bright, light feeling that makes you carefree
- ✓Think of a character in a story who is always cheerful and does not get sad or worried easily
- ✓NOT like "careful" (thinking about risks), blithe means not paying much attention to dangers or problems
- ✓NOT like "sad" or "worried," blithe is the opposite — carefree and joyful
- ✓NOT like "reckless" (dangerous without care), blithe can be gentle happiness, not always bad carelessness
Try Other Words
- •Carefree: without worries or problems (Use when focusing on lack of worries)
- •Cheerful: noticeably happy and positive (Use when focusing on visible happiness)
- •Heedless: not paying attention to risks or rules (Use when blithe means careless or ignoring problems)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix) — root word "blithe"
- •Etymology: From Old English "blīðe," meaning happy, joyous, or kind
- •Historical development: Used since Old English times to mean joyful or gentle; over time, it also gained meaning of careless or without worry
- •Modern usage: Mostly used in writing or formal speech to describe a happy, carefree attitude or sometimes careless behavior
Reflect & Connect
•Can being blithe be a good quality, or can it sometimes cause problems? When?
•How do you feel when someone is blithe in a difficult situation? Does it help or annoy you?
Fill in the blanks
1.She showed a blithe ___ toward the challenges, not seeming to worry at all.
2.His blithe ___ sometimes made others think he did not care about serious things.
3.Unlike a careful person, a blithe person often acts without ___ about the results.
4.The children played with blithe ___, enjoying the moment without any stress.
5.When someone is blithe, they usually do not ___ about dangers or problems.
6.A blithe attitude can be good for happiness but bad if it causes ___ mistakes.
7.In stories, a blithe character often brings ___ and lightness to the scene.