1
as in neglectfulness
failure to take the care that a cautious person usually takes
exhibiting his usual negligence, he failed to set the emergency brake, and the car rolled down the steep hill and crashed into the telephone pole
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2
as in neglect
the nonperformance of an assigned or expected action
the factory's owners are being charged with criminal negligence for the fire that killed a dozen workers
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of negligence
North Carolina’s Fault Rules Can Make for Complications North Carolina is known for its contributory negligence rule, which can limit recovery if an injured person is found partly responsible for the accident.
—
Will Jones, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2026
Their parents have since filed numerous lawsuits against Camp Mystic, accusing the family who runs it of gross negligence and a failure to take commonsense measures that could have saved their children’s lives.
—Karen Valby, Vanity Fair, 16 June 2026
However, in October of that year, the woman was left alone and unsupervised when a man who also lived at the facility entered her room and raped her, according to a lawsuit filed last year in Cook County on the woman’s behalf, charging negligence by Albany Care.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
The teen, who remains charged as a juvenile, faces three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, five counts of leaving the scene of an accident causing death or serious injury and four counts of hit-and-run driving.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for negligence
Will Jones, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2026
Their parents have since filed numerous lawsuits against Camp Mystic, accusing the family who runs it of gross negligence and a failure to take commonsense measures that could have saved their children’s lives.
—Karen Valby, Vanity Fair, 16 June 2026
However, in October of that year, the woman was left alone and unsupervised when a man who also lived at the facility entered her room and raped her, according to a lawsuit filed last year in Cook County on the woman’s behalf, charging negligence by Albany Care.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
The teen, who remains charged as a juvenile, faces three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, five counts of leaving the scene of an accident causing death or serious injury and four counts of hit-and-run driving.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for negligence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for negligence
Noun
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Once, administrators confronted him about the carelessness of his grading.—
Peter Hessler,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
-
That's not chance or carelessness.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Noun
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Even if the weather is perfect, summer is a busy season that can sometimes cause the garden to experience neglect.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
21 June 2026
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Supporters portray the Business Improvement District as a fix for years of neglect and crime, while opponents fear gentrification, over-policing and businesses gaining control over public space.—
Alejandra Molina,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Noun
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Taking the midway point of those numbers, an opening weekend of $45 million would be a monumental failure.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
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Then came this spring’s historic and devastating floods across northern Michigan — in some areas, for the first time anyone can remember — swamping homes, pushing dams to the brink of failure and washing out roadways.—
Tammy Webber,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
Noun
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The County's Resident Advisory Committee formed just over a year ago and is now providing oversight of the millions of dollars the county now has.—
Ashley Portillo,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
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Parias' case showcases the nexus of the issues — and the narrow scope of oversight and resources within the judicial and agency level for someone injured by the federal agency that is also detaining them.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
20 June 2026
Noun
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Why Turkey leads in hair transplants in 2026 Turkey has spent the last decade becoming the default destination for hair restoration, and the numbers behind that shift are still moving in 2026.—
Ascend Agency,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
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In other words, the renewal default is not just a back-end retention tool.—
HEC Paris Insights,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Negligence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/negligence. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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