neglect

verb ne·glect \ ni-ˈglekt \

|Updated on: 21 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: neglect in a Sentence

Definition of neglect

transitive verb

1 : to give little attention or respect to : disregard

The building has been neglected for years.

2 : to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness

The prison guard neglected his duty.

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neglecter

noun

See neglect defined for English-language learners

See neglect defined for kids

Examples of neglect in a Sentence

The building has been neglected for years.
The city has neglected the teacher shortage for too long.
The prison guard neglected his duty.

Recent Examples of neglect from the Web

Feeling neglected by your own blood hurts more than a bullet piercing your body.

— ja'kayla mordecai, USA TODAY, "'Father abandonment' can lead to many challenges in childhood, but they can be overcome," 15 June 2018
The Washington Post reports that Cohen feels neglected by Trump.

— NBC News, "First Read's Morning Clips: Republicans embrace the 'cult' of Trump," 14 June 2018
Don’t neglect ogling the trail itself—the park is a habitat for native flowers and wildlife.

— brittany martin, Los Angeles Magazine, "Where to Find L.A.’s Most Instagrammable Views," 8 June 2018
Indiana law, however, requires anyone who has reason to believe a child has been abused or neglected to immediately report it to police or the Indiana Department of Child Services.

— tim evans, Indianapolis Star, "15 adults waited to report Larry Nassar abuse allegations, new testimony shows," 5 June 2018
For too long, our town has been under-served and neglected, thanks to partisan politics.

— peter marteka, Courant Community, "Barry, Tanski To Face Off For 31st House Seat In Glastonbury," 30 May 2018
Vets believe Dex was neglected by his owners for up to six months before he was heartlessly abandoned.

— Fox News, "Abandoned pug unrecognizable after rescue group steps in," 17 May 2018
Horner admits, though, that the new owners have taken strides in bringing the sport closer to the fans -- something that was neglected by Bernie Ecclestone.

— george ramsay, CNN, "Formula One: Red Bull looking to 'close the gap' on rivals," 21 Mar. 2018
The protagonist, a high schooler who suffers from social anxiety disorder, feels neglected by his mother.

— lawrence toppman, charlotteobserver, "Just announced: What Broadway shows head to Charlotte next? Here’s the ’18-19 season | Charlotte Observer," 18 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'neglect.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of neglect

borrowed from Latin neglēctus, past participle of neglegere, neclegere "to disregard, do nothing about, fail to care for," from nec "not" (probably from ne- "not" + -ce, deictic element, going back to Indo-European *ḱe, *ḱi) + legere "to gather, select, read" — more at ¹no, ¹he, legend

Note: The Latin formative nec in this word and (with invariable voicing) in negō, negāre "to deny" (see negate) and negōtium "business, difficulty" (see negotiate) is presumably identical with Old Latin nec "not" and distinct from nec as a reduced form of neque "and not."

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1529

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

neglect Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of neglect

neglect, disregard, ignore, overlook, slight, forget mean to pass over without giving due attention. neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention.

- habitually neglected his studies

disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

- disregarded the wishes of his family

ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

- ignored the snide remark

overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

- in my rush I overlooked a key example

slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

- slighted several major authors in her survey

forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

- forget what others say

neglect

noun

Definition of neglect

1 : an act or instance of neglecting something

2 : the condition of being neglected

See neglect defined for English-language learners

Examples of neglect in a Sentence

The park was overgrown and littered from years of neglect.
The parents were charged with child neglect.
The house is in a state of neglect.

Recent Examples of neglect from the Web

Stress hormones seem to shrink this structure, and adverse childhood experiences like abuse and neglect have been linked with smaller hippocampal volumes later in life.

— darby saxbe, Scientific American, "Living with Neighborhood Violence May Shape Teens’ Brains," 15 June 2018
Godinez-Diaz was arrested Monday and jailed on charges of child neglect and child abuse, court records show.

— doug phillips, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Newborn's moving feet alerts man to baby abandoned beneath plant pot, reports say," 13 June 2018
The necropsy showed the puppy had been subjected to repeated blunt force and died as a result of neglect and abuse, Oggerino and Cheatham said.

— kimberly fornek, chicagotribune.com, "Puppy's Willowbrook grave to be dedicated as a memorial to abused animals," 5 June 2018
Elder abuse is so prevalent that the federal Elder Justice Act, signed into law in 2010, was created to provide more resources to prevent and prosecute the abuse, neglect or exploitation of seniors.

— doug williams, sandiegouniontribune.com, "‘Excuse me, but where were you when all this was going on?’," 4 June 2018
Adult Protective Services is a social services program that investigates the abuse, neglect or exploitation of older adults and adults with disabilities, according to the National Adult Protective Services Association.

— mark price, charlotteobserver, "Parents have right to force 30-year-old son to move out of their house, court rules | Charlotte Observer," 22 May 2018
Labrador was the only candidate to come out against changing Idaho's laws that allow families to cite religious reasons for medical decisions without fear of being charged with neglect or abuse.

— kimberlee kruesi, idahostatesman, "Top Idaho Republicans diverge during governor debate, trade barbs on campaign ads | Idaho Statesman," 24 Apr. 2018
Before the crash, the Hart family was being investigated for neglect and abuse.

— Essence.com, "Devonte Hart's Adoptive Mother Intoxicated, Children Possibly Drugged In Case Of Woman Who Drove Family Off Cliff," 17 Apr. 2018
The hotline considers the report The hotline operator determines whether the allegation of neglect or abuse meets the criteria for a report.

— The Republic | azcentral.com, "Understand the system | How Arizona's child-protective services are supposed to work," 13 Apr. 2018

Origin and Etymology of neglect

borrowed from Latin neglēctus, from neglegere, neclegere "to disregard, do nothing about, ¹neglect" + -tus, suffix of verbal action

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1597

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

neglect Synonyms

Synonyms

desolation, dilapidation, disrepair, seediness;

Antonyms

keeping, repair;

Near Antonyms

conservation, preservation, upkeep;

Related Words

inattention, negligence;

abandonment, desertion;

decay, decrepitude, dereliction, deterioration, disintegration, dumpiness, ruin, ruination;

NEGLECT Defined for English Language Learners

neglect

verb

Definition of neglect for English Language Learners

: to fail to take care of or to give attention to (someone or something)
: to fail to do (something)

neglect

noun

Definition of neglect for English Language Learners

: lack of attention or care that someone or something needs
: the condition of not being taken care of

NEGLECT Defined for Kids

neglect

verb ne·glect \ ni-ˈglekt \

Definition of neglect for Students

neglected; neglecting

1 : to fail to give the right amount of attention to

The property has been neglected.

2 : to fail to do or look after especially because of carelessness

She neglected to say goodbye.

Synonym Discussion of neglect

neglect and disregard mean to pass over something without giving it any or enough attention. neglect is used when a person does not give, whether deliberately or not, enough attention to something that deserves or requires attention.

- You have been neglecting your homework.

disregard is used for deliberately overlooking something usually because it is not considered worth noticing.

- He disregarded the “keep out” sign.

neglect

noun

Definition of neglect for Students

1 : lack of attention or care to something or someone

neglect of duty

2 : the state of not being looked after or given attention

The house suffers from neglect.

Law Dictionary

neglect

noun ne·glect

legal Definition of neglect

: a disregard of duty resulting from carelessness, indifference, or willfulness; especially : a failure to provide a child under one's care with proper food, clothing, shelter, supervision, medical care, or emotional stability — compare abuse 2, negligence

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