neglect

1 of 2

verb

ne·​glect ni-ˈglekt 

neglected; neglecting; neglects

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.

neglecter noun

neglect

2 of 2

noun

1

: an act or instance of neglecting something

2

: the condition of being neglected

Synonyms

Verb

• bypass
• disregard
• forget
• ignore
• overlook
• overpass
• pass over
• slight
• slur (over)

Noun

• desolation
• dilapidation
• disrepair
• seediness

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

Examples of neglect in a Sentence

Verb

The building has been neglected for years.

The city has neglected the teacher shortage for too long.

The prison guard neglected his duty.

Noun

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 on the Web

Verb

Samantha Wishman, 32, is facing charges of first-degree reckless homicide and neglecting a child, after the boy died on June 15, 2023. —Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024

The judges added that contradictory and repetitive provisions housed in the law step on existing federal immigration processes while neglecting precedent established by the Supreme Court. —Hogan Gore, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024

This is the reality for many businesses neglecting PR. —Danielle Sabrina, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

This questionnaire employs a 10-item scale to examine experiences related to abuse, violence, and neglect. —Sydney Durrah, STAT, 21 Mar. 2024

If military leaders instead neglect the nonpartisan ethic or, worse still, violate it themselves, such as by publicly praising politicians or their policies, adherence throughout the force could rapidly decline. —Risa Brooks, Foreign Affairs, 20 Mar. 2024

Often, serial killers have a history of trauma or neglect, according to Psychology Today. —Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 21 Mar. 2024

They should be made to tell a story, to share a truth, to humanize those whose humanity is often neglected or denied. —Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 15 Mar. 2024

Use Larson Tax Relief for Best Tax Relief Service >> Common Tax Problems Tax issues encompass various problems that arise from errors made while filing taxes or neglecting to file altogether. —Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024

Noun

The toddler died of starvation and severe dehydration from pediatric neglect, Dr. Elizabeth Mooney, the deputy Cuyahoga County medical examiner, said in court Monday, NBC News reports. —Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024

Both were charged with neglect and obstruction of justice, and Anderson was additionally charged with murder. —The Courier-Journal, 15 Mar. 2024

Bortz restored the roadster from its years of neglect, but left the sedan in junkyard condition as testimony to the neglect many historic show cars endured. —Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 4 Apr. 2024

In their report, state investigators cited Brookdale’s failure to properly supervise Walker and the facility’s slow response time as evidence of neglect. —Christopher Rowland, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024

The ballooning problem came to a head earlier his year when the George F. Haines International Swim Center — a storied facility widely considered to be Santa Clara’s crown jewel — closed over safety concerns following decades of neglect. —Grace Hase, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024

His parents missed several medical appointments, prompting Kaiser Permanente to alert L.A. County’s child abuse hotline of possible neglect. —Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024

Decades of legislative neglect As far back as 30 years ago, Idaho legislators were confronted with the state’s deteriorating schools. —Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 27 Mar. 2024

Elijah's mother and her boyfriend have been charged Elijah’s mother, Katerina Baur, 31, and her boyfriend, Jesse Vang, 39, have been charged in connection with felony child neglect, according to previous USA TODAY reporting. —Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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 no entry 1, he entry 1, 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."

Noun

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

First Known Use

Verb

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing neglect

• benign neglect

Kids Definition

neglect

1 of 2 verb

ne·​glect ni-ˈglekt 

1

: to give little attention or respect to

neglected their garden

2

: to leave undone or not attended to especially through carelessness

don't neglect to feed the fish

neglecter noun

neglect

2 of 2 noun

1

: an act or instance of neglecting something

his neglect of important responsibilities

2

: the condition of being neglected

the stone wall was collapsing from years of neglect

Legal Definition

neglect

noun

ne·​glect

: 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 sense 2, negligence

neglect transitive verb

neglectful adjective