Welcome to the never-ending argument of “could care less” versus “couldn’t care less.”

Which phrase is correct?

Let’s cut to the core of the phrases.

Could Care Less

To say you could care less literally (not figuratively) means that you care at least some and therefore could care less than you do. The use of “could care less” would be warranted if you meant you cared a lot about something and wish you didn’t care so much.

Couldn’t Care Less

This is usually the intended phrase.

To say you couldn’t care less means that you do not care at all. There is no room for less caring than not caring at all.

So why do both phrases exist?

Some people think “could care less” evolved from “couldn’t care less” when people got too lazy to say the full phrase. Perhaps, some people do not consider the technical meaning of the phrases and don’t realize there is a difference between them. Don’t be one of those people.

If you need a little more help with the twists and turns of the English language, seek assistance from Unscripted by visiting the Contact page.