benign neglect
noun
: an attitude or policy of ignoring an often delicate or undesirable situation that one is held to be responsible for dealing with
Examples of benign neglect in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Digital data, unlike film, cannot survive long periods of benign neglect.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 21 Feb. 2014
Small states have risen to power on first-mover advantages, often with the acquiescence or benign neglect of larger states.
—Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2025
But now that the Western Hemisphere is under the microscope from the Trump administration from everything from migration to drug smuggling to human trafficking, those same leaders may be missing the old days of relative benign neglect.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2025
In the end, the only real answer to this incredible, adaptable grass may be a combination of careful prevention and benign neglect, letting nature be the barrier against its own greatest survivor.
—Ian Rose, JSTOR Daily, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for benign neglect
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IEEE Spectrum, 21 Feb. 2014
Small states have risen to power on first-mover advantages, often with the acquiescence or benign neglect of larger states.
—Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2025
But now that the Western Hemisphere is under the microscope from the Trump administration from everything from migration to drug smuggling to human trafficking, those same leaders may be missing the old days of relative benign neglect.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2025
In the end, the only real answer to this incredible, adaptable grass may be a combination of careful prevention and benign neglect, letting nature be the barrier against its own greatest survivor.
—Ian Rose, JSTOR Daily, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for benign neglect
Cite this Entry
“Benign neglect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/benign%20neglect. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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