careless error
Inattentive slip-up
A careless error is a mistake made through inattention rather than ignorance—you knew better but slipped up anyway.
The phrase appears frequently in educational and professional contexts: The exam was full of careless errors like dropped negative signs.
It implies the error was avoidable with more care, distinguishing it from errors of understanding.
- slipMinor error or misstep
- slip upMinor mistake or error
- mistakeWrong action or decision
- honest mistakeUnintended error without deception
- typoPrinting mistake
fat finger · oversight · blunder · brain fart · oops · sloppy · sloppy work · hasty · rushed · fumble · goof · mishap · lapse · flub · botch · scribble · distracted · inattentive
care, careless, carelessly, carelessness, careful, carefully, carefulness, caring, cared