couldn’t care less
couldn’t care less (idiom, hyperbole)
/kʊdnt kɛər lɛs/
Meaning
- Indifference: To have a complete lack of interest or concern about someone or something.
- Apathy: To feel or show no emotion, enthusiasm, or involvement.
- Disregard: To not consider or pay attention to a person, an idea, or an event.
- Uninterested: To show a total lack of curiosity or attention.
Synonyms: indifferent; apathetic; unconcerned; unmoved; bored; nonplussed; unbothered; nonchalant; uninterested; regardless.
Example Sentences
- He couldn’t care less about what people thought of his eccentric hobbies.
- After hearing the same old complaints, she couldn’t care less about his problems anymore.
- The news report on the celebrity gossip was so uninteresting that I couldn’t care less.
- She told him she was leaving, and he just shrugged, showing he couldn’t care less.
- I couldn’t care less if they change the rules again.
Origin and History
The phrase “couldn’t care less” is a common English idiom that expresses complete indifference or a total lack of concern. Its origin is straightforward and rooted in the evolution of language, though it also has a fascinating connection to a much older, similar expression.
The core of “couldn’t care less” lies in its use of hyperbole, an exaggeration used for emphasis. The phrase literally means that one has reached the absolute minimum level of caring—zero. It’s impossible to care any less than that, which makes the statement a powerful way to express a lack of interest. The word “couldn’t” reinforces this impossibility, making the declaration of apathy even stronger. This type of exaggerated language is a natural part of everyday speech, and it’s this natural human tendency to use hyperbole that likely gave rise to the phrase.
Country of Origin
A widely held view is that the phrase began in the United Kingdom. Supporters of this view note multiple early British print examples and a pattern of subsequent spread to other English-speaking countries. The tone and form of the expression fit other British idioms of the same period that express absolute lack of interest by claiming the impossibility of feeling any less.
Earliest Printed Record
The earliest known printed record of the phrase “couldn’t care less” dates back to 1901 in a short story, which suggests that the phrase began in ordinary spoken and popular written English rather than in learned prose. This early date places the phrase in use well before mid-20th-century movements of language across the Atlantic.
The “Could Care Less” Variant
An interesting variation of the idiom is “could care less.” This version, which is more common in American English, is often considered illogical because it literally means “it is possible for me to care less,” which contradicts the intended meaning of complete indifference. Several theories try to explain this.
Sarcasm and Intonation Theory
One theory is that it began as a sarcastic or ironic variant that used stress and tone to mean much the same as the negative form. This explains why the variant can be common yet still understood as equivalent in casual conversation.
Error or Reanalysis Theory
Another account treats the variant as a reinterpretation or “error” that became conventional. If enough speakers repeatedly use the short, positive form, it can be reanalyzed as carrying the idiomatic meaning, even if its literal sense seems opposite.
Clipped Original Longer Phrase
A third theory suggests a clipped original longer phrase, for example, “I could care less, but not by much.” The tail end of this phrase was lost over time, leaving only the first part.
These accounts are not mutually exclusive; different social groups may have adopted the variant for different reasons.
American Adoption and Spread
The phrase is widely believed to have moved from Britain to the United States around or after World War II. Returning soldiers, radio, print syndication, and cultural exchange all probably helped the expression gain footing in North America in the late 1940s and 1950s, after which it became commonly used in both spoken and written American English.
The “Don’t Give a” Connection
While not a direct origin, the phrase shares a similar structure and intent with much older expressions like “don’t give a damn” or “don’t give a hoot.” These phrases also use a minimum unit of value to express a total lack of concern. The structure of “couldn’t care less” builds on this existing linguistic pattern, replacing the “unit of concern” with the very act of caring itself. This connection shows how new idioms often emerge by adapting and expanding on established linguistic templates.
Variants
- couldn’t give a damn
- couldn’t give a hoot
- couldn’t give a toss
- couldn’t be bothered
- couldn’t care less about it
- could care less (informal American variant with the same meaning)
Similar Idioms
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