as in careless
failing to give proper care and attention
he's certainly not a neglectful father as he takes very good care of his children
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Recent Examples of neglectful
Leaning into the disco-country of much of Man’s Best Friend, Carpenter sings about a neglectful lover.
—
Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025
Parents, even the well-meaning ones, tend to be neglectful, or also dead.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Named after the minimalist philosopher who apparently lived in a jar in Athens, and who also lent his name to Diogenes syndrome, a disorder of neglectful hoarding.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025
Simone manages to evade her sister’s attempts to drag her home to Buffalo to care for their neglectful, aging father for most of the premiere.
—Megan Vick, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for neglectful
Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025
Parents, even the well-meaning ones, tend to be neglectful, or also dead.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Named after the minimalist philosopher who apparently lived in a jar in Athens, and who also lent his name to Diogenes syndrome, a disorder of neglectful hoarding.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025
Simone manages to evade her sister’s attempts to drag her home to Buffalo to care for their neglectful, aging father for most of the premiere.
—Megan Vick, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for neglectful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for neglectful
Adjective
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Jenkins’ fumble was due to careless ball-handling, although two members of his offensive line got bull-rushed, leading to the pressure.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
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One person was cited for careless driving after a fiery crash between two semitrucks closed Interstate 70 in Aurora for several hours Friday morning.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The kids will love all the ways to make a splash here, which include waterslides, a lazy river, and Orlando’s only wave pool.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
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The decor is bright and inviting, the heated pool is perfect for a lazy afternoon, and patios offer quiet spots to sip coffee or a local wine.—
Maggie Downs,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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On Tuesday, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office charged both suspects with shooting at an occupied dwelling and negligent discharge of a firearm, police said.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
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After allegedly fleeing the scene without rendering aid or calling authorities, the Louisiana native was charged with negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run and reckless operation of a vehicle.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Just a few more blocks away is the derelict CVS that has become a lightning rod of neighborhood fury, a monument to gross neglect.—
Wes Burdine,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
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Neighbors of a derelict million-dollar home along Denver’s tony East Seventh Avenue are asking a judge to appoint a caretaker for the house or let it be demolished.—
Justin Wingerter,
Denver Post,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Neglectful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neglectful. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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