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Oct 19, 2023 · People have used the wrong phrase for so long that either one is acceptable and will convey the same meaning. Some people also argue that “I could care less” is just the sarcastic inversion of “I couldn’t care less.”. Either way—you can use either one when talking. If you’re using the phrase in writing, however, you should stay ...
Both could and couldn’t care less are informal, and so you are unlikely to use either one in formal writing. If you have need of using it in some other context, and would like to avoid alienating some portion of your audience you should stick with couldn’t care less. And if you can’t get past some people continuing to use could care less ...
Aug 13, 2010 · Almost nobody ever uses the phrase "I could care less" to mean "I care a lot, and potentially could care a lesser amount than now". In order to convey that meaning you'd have to emphasize the could or something. In normal speech "I could care less" means "I couldn't care less". –
Oct 17, 2023 · Couldn’t care less is used for the present. “It’s raining, but I couldn’t care less.” It means, roughly, it wouldn’t be possible for me to care less. That’s just how the idiom works. Thus, for the past, Lee uses couldn’t have cared less.
Mar 3, 2024 · To quote the Good book, Strunk & White on the topic (from the section on frequently misused words and phrases). The dismissive “ I couldn’t care less ” is often used with the shortened “ not ” mistakenly (and mysteriously) omitted: “ I could care less.”. The errors destroys the meaning of the sentence and is care less indeed.
Mar 6, 2017 · Let’s start off with the meaning. “I couldn’t care less ” means: “ I don’t care ”, “I don’t give a damn” (informal), “I’m completely indifferent”, or “It doesn’t matter”. Even if “ could care less ” literally means the opposite, it has the same meaning of " couldn't care less " . In the way it is used, "could ...
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What is the difference between couldn't care less and could care less?
What does it's raining but I couldn't care less mean?
Where did the phrase 'can't care less' come from?
Is it better to say “I don't care” or “I couldn't care”?
The confusion between couldn't care less and could care less arises from the differences between spoken and written language. If you say "I could care less" in a sarcastic tone, then it can have the same effect as couldn't care less: the sarcasm serves the same function as the litotes, suggesting that you mean the opposite of what you're saying.
