ceara: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
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Quick answer
What does “ceara” mean?
To feel concern or interest.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To feel concern or interest; to look after and provide for the needs of someone or something.
A state of mind characterized by worry, anxiety, or serious attention; the provision of what is necessary for health, welfare, maintenance, and protection.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal lexical differences. 'Care home' is more common in UK English for a residential facility for the elderly or infirm; US English may use 'nursing home' or 'assisted living facility' more specifically. Spelling differences follow general patterns (e.g., BrE: 'caretaker', AmE: 'caretaker' or 'janitor' for building maintenance).
Connotations
Largely identical. The phrase 'I couldn't care less' is standard in both, though the non-standard 'I could care less' is heard almost exclusively in AmE.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both dialects with no significant variation.
Grammar
How to Use “ceara” in a Sentence
care about [something/someone]care for [something/someone]care that [clause]care to [infinitive] (formal)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “ceara” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- I don't care for football.
- She cares deeply for her ageing parents.
- Would you care to join us for tea?
American English
- I don't care about the score.
- He really cares for his classic car.
- Would you care for some more coffee?
adverb
British English
- He drove carefully along the narrow lane.
- She listened carelessly to the instructions.
- Handle the artifact carefully.
American English
- He carefully reviewed the contract.
- She answered carelessly, not thinking.
- Plan your finances carefully.
adjective
British English
- She is very care-worn after years of stress.
- He gave a care-laden sigh.
- The care-full packaging ensured it arrived safely.
American English
- She has a carefree attitude.
- It was a careless mistake.
- The caregiver was very attentive.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to customer care, duty of care, or care in handling sensitive information.
Academic
Used in fields like healthcare policy, ethics of care, or patient care studies.
Everyday
Ubiquitous in expressions of concern, farewells ('Take care!'), and discussing responsibilities.
Technical
In medicine: 'critical care', 'palliative care'. In computing: 'data care' (less common).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “ceara”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “ceara”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “ceara”
- Using 'care for' to mean 'care about' ('I care for the environment' vs. 'I care about the environment' – the former can mean 'I look after it').
- Incorrect negative: 'I don't care for it' usually means 'I don't like it', not 'I have no concern for it'.
- Overusing the verb without the necessary preposition ('I care my job' is incorrect; must be 'I care about my job').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Care about' means to feel concern or interest. 'Care for' primarily means to look after someone/something, but in questions ('Would you care for...?') it means 'would you like?'.
Yes, in its main meaning of 'feeling concern', it is stative and not usually used in continuous forms (*'I am caring about this'). However, in the sense of 'providing care' (e.g., nursing), it can be dynamic ('She is caring for her mother').
It is an emphatic idiom meaning 'I have absolutely no concern or interest in this matter'.
Absolutely. It is neutral. Formal equivalents might be 'solicitude' or 'regard', but 'care' is perfectly appropriate in formal writing, especially in phrases like 'duty of care', 'with due care and attention', or 'healthcare'.
To feel concern or interest.
Ceara: in British English it is pronounced /keə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ker/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “take care of”
- “handle with care”
- “couldn't care less”
- “in the care of”
- “care a fig”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'CARe' as 'Concern And Responsibility for Everyone'.
Conceptual Metaphor
CARE IS A VALUABLE OBJECT ('Handle with care'), CARE IS A BURDEN ('weighed down by care'), CARE IS ATTENTION ('pay care and attention').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following uses of 'care' indicates a liking or preference?