formal
: failure to take the care that a responsible person usually takes : lack of normal care or attention
Medical negligence may be the cause of death. [=the patient's death may have happened because the doctor did not do something that should have been done]
The company was charged with negligence in the manufacturing of the defective tires.
Cite this Entry
“Negligence.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/negligence. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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