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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in negligence
failure to take the care that a cautious person usually takes
as a result of the mother's chronic neglectfulness of their welfare, the children were placed in foster care
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of neglectful
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Below, a few of my favorite books about bad mothering, from the benignly neglectful to the downright evil.
—Sarah Harman, People.com, 11 May 2025
Speaking of the Senate: That chamber on Monday fully passed Senate Bill 20, which seeks to crack down on chronically neglectful landlords by allowing government authorities to temporarily take control of run-down apartment buildings.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 1 May 2025
My parents were off to a party, my younger brother was in bed, and my older sister had a neglectful attitude toward babysitting me.
—ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for neglectful
Adjective
Disorganized behavior: Mary/Jone refuses to eat with her/his family or have a bath, which may reflect disorganized or neglectful behavior.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Below, a few of my favorite books about bad mothering, from the benignly neglectful to the downright evil.
—Sarah Harman, People.com, 11 May 2025
Speaking of the Senate: That chamber on Monday fully passed Senate Bill 20, which seeks to crack down on chronically neglectful landlords by allowing government authorities to temporarily take control of run-down apartment buildings.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 1 May 2025
My parents were off to a party, my younger brother was in bed, and my older sister had a neglectful attitude toward babysitting me.
—ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for neglectful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for neglectful
Adjective
-
The driver was cited for careless driving causing bodily injury, which is a misdemeanor traffic offense, according to state law.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
4 June 2025
-
Carlos Guillermo Alonso, 79, the alleged operator of the boat that struck the teen, has been charged with two misdemeanors for careless operation of a vessel, according to the FWC.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
Boat operator negligence or DUI – The Coast Guard also states that negligent operation — including drinking, speeding, or unsafe boating — can lead to fines up to $5,000 and imprisonment.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
24 June 2025
-
In the early hours of June 14, 2017, residents of Grenfell Tower were caught off guard by a deadly fire that would turn the building into an international symbol of negligence and injustice.—
Time,
Time,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
Hawaiian Falls Waco Water Park boasts an 800-foot-long lazy river, water slides, and a wave pool.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
17 June 2025
-
Filter out the lazy networkers who expect instant replies.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office posted video of Scott Allen Gardner being apprehended on Thursday on charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
20 June 2025
-
London spoke about his case at a press conference earlier this month, where Barbara Fair, the executive director of Stop Solitary CT, referred to him as someone who had experienced medical neglect first-hand within the Department of Correction.—
Emilia Otte,
Hartford Courant,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
Imagine the lawsuit: negligent security, wrongful death attempt, maybe even a defamation angle against Tom Buchanan.—
Aron Solomon
June 24,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
-
The deckhand as well as the ship's skipper and chief engineer are all reportedly under investigation for possible multiple manslaughter and negligent shipwreck charges, but have not yet been formally accused of any crime.—
David Chiu,
People.com,
22 June 2025
Adjective
-
Two local guys had the idea of turning the derelict elevated railroad tracks into a garden walkway—the High Line.—
Ian Frazier,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
-
In a city that hit its 175th birthday in February, there are many derelict or underutilized buildings, particularly on the grid.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Neglectful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neglectful. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share