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6rant6's avatar

Synonym for "mindless"?

Asked by 6rant6 (13710points) October 26th, 2009

I’m looking for a synonym for “mindless.”

I want a positive connotation – “Free from worry” not the negative connotation of “empty headed.”

A new word or phrase is ok.

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29 Answers

SpatzieLover's avatar

Senseless

Mindless isn’t a positive phrase

Maybe something like:

*unintellectual

*heedless

Or just say “worry-free” or hassle-free

6rant6's avatar

Jeff,

Yes, well, if I had exactly the right word, I wouldn’t have to be asking for one, would I?

Thoughtless is exactly on the right track, but in the wrong direction. It’s the embodiment of what I don’t want.

Worry-free is getting there.

I’m actually looking for something to replace, “Mindless” in “Mindless eating.

“Mindless eating,” I think, implies that what is eaten is not good. I want to imply that what is eaten is good, but doesn’t require our attention to choose it.

So even a pithy phrase could work.

Just not a thoughtless one.

rguest's avatar

asinine, brutish, careless, daydreaming, foolish, forgetful, gratuitous, heedless, idiotic, imbecilic, inattentive, mooning, moony, moronic, neglectful, negligent, nitwitted, obtuse, out, out of it, rash, senseless, silly, simple, spaced-out, thoughtless, unaware, unintelligent, unmindful, unthinking, witless

SpatzieLover's avatar

Actually, “mindless eating” is connotative the action, not the thought of the food. Meaning, the person eats without thinking how much or what type of food.

Unaware would be closer to what you are looking for.

Darwin's avatar

Instinctive?

Ria777's avatar

next time you can use thesaurus.com.

SpatzieLover's avatar

@Ria777 In this case, I don’t think a thesaurus will help @6rant6 much

6rant6's avatar

“unaware” has some possibilities.

I don’t think “unaware eating” comes trippingly off the tongue though.

SpatzieLover's avatar

@6rant6 Spontaneous seems good to me

gussnarp's avatar

The only positively associated word for mindless I can think of is “mushin”. A Japanese word generally translated as “no-mindedness”. It’s used a lot by martial artists. It connotes having no preconceived notions about what will happen or how you will respond. Acting without thinking, but acting correctly due to long training. Probably doesn’t work for your use though.

gussnarp's avatar

@erichw1504 Funny you should mention that, I’ve been reading the original Sherlock Holmes stories lately, they use “careless” a lot without a negative connotation.

6rant6's avatar

Gus, don’t know if I can use it, but it’s a great alternative. Fresh, interesting! Mushin!!!

janbb's avatar

How about carefree?

Darwin's avatar

You may actually want an antonym to mindless. That way you would be avoiding the negative connotations.

filmfann's avatar

Carefree.
Okay, @janbb just said that, but I was thinking it first.
How about unburdened?

wundayatta's avatar

distracted?
preoccupied?
negligent?

Harp's avatar

insouciant adj. Marked by blithe unconcern; nonchalant.

ratboy's avatar

I think you want an antonym for “mindful.”

lloydbird's avatar

Blissful. Or – Blissed Out. Perhaps

PandoraBoxx's avatar

Mindless eating > guiltless eating

Edit: Grazing

SpatzieLover's avatar

@PandoraBoxx Grazing is what I’d think of if I didn’t have a sinus/double ear infection clouding my brain connections

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