Couldn’t care less

Meaning

The idiom "couldn’t care less" means to be completely uninterested or indifferent towards something. It is a strong expression of disinterest, indicating that the speaker could not care less about the topic at hand.

Usage

• I couldn't care less about the outcome of the game, I just want to watch it for fun.
• She couldn’t care less about his complaints, she has heard them a million times before.
• The weather forecast is so accurate; I couldn’t care less if it rains or shines.
• When it comes to politics, he couldn’t care less what anyone says, he has made up his mind already.
• The movie was so boring; I couldn’t care less about watching it again. The usage of this idiom can vary depending on the context. It can be used in a serious or humorous manner, and its intensity can also vary from mild to strong.

Roots and History

The earliest known use of this idiom can be traced back to 1925 in the English language. The first recorded use was in the book "The Phrase Book" by James Montgomery, where he wrote: "I couldn't care less. I don't give a fig about it." However, the phrase "couldn't care less" became more popular in the 1970s and has since become a widely used idiom in contemporary language.

Synonyms in English

• I couldn't care less about it.
• I'm not bothered by it.
• It doesn't matter to me.
• I don't give a damn about it.
• I'm indifferent to it.

Synonyms in other languages

• French: Je ne m'en souviens pas (I don't remember)
• Spanish: No importa (It doesn't matter)
• German: Es geht mir nichts an (It means nothing to me)
• Italian: Non importa più (It doesn't matter anymore)
• Chinese: 不关心 (No concern)

Similar Idioms

• cut from the same cloth

• cold sweat

• come on