neglect

/nɪˈɡlɛkt/

Say it: ni-GLEKT

1. verb To fail to give the necessary care or attention to someone or something.
The city has neglected the public parks for years, and now they are overgrown.
2. verb To fail to do something, often through carelessness or forgetfulness.
In his haste, he neglected to lock the front door.
3. noun The state of being uncared for or a lack of proper attention.
The old mansion had fallen into a state of complete neglect.
4. noun The action of failing to care for someone or something.
The case involved serious charges of child neglect.

📖 Seen in the wild

If you neglect your studies, your grades will surely suffer.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ neglect in a sentence

She's been neglecting her studies this semester and her grades are suffering.
The report highlighted years of financial neglect that led to the infrastructure's failure.
Don't neglect your own health while you're busy taking care of everyone else.
The garden, once a source of pride, was now a sad testament to neglect.
He was found guilty of gross neglect of duty and was dismissed from his post.
I feel like I've been neglecting my friends lately; I should give them a call.
The artist neglected to sign the painting, which made it difficult to authenticate.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

ignore disregard overlook omit shirk disdain slight

ignore · implies a conscious, deliberate choice to pay no attention.

disregard · suggests treating something as unimportant, often a rule or advice.

overlook · often implies an accidental failure to notice or address something.

omit · means to leave something out, either intentionally or by accident.

Opposites: cherish, nurture, attend to, care for, treasure

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'neglect' comes to us from the Latin 'neglegere', which meant 'to not pick up' or 'to disregard'. It was formed from 'nec' (not) and 'legere' (to gather or pick up). This origin beautifully captures the modern sense of failing to pay attention to or take care of something that you should.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

benign neglectgross neglectneglect one's dutiesfall into neglecta state of neglectsuffer from neglect

Neglect carries a strong negative connotation, implying a failure in responsibility. It is often confused with its more formal cousin, 'negligence'. While you might neglect your houseplants, 'negligence' is a legal concept referring to a breach of a duty of care that results in harm. Essentially, negligence is a type of neglect that has legal consequences.

Word family: neglected, negligent, negligence, negligible

💬 Quick answers

What does neglect mean?

To neglect something is to fail to give it proper care or attention. It can also mean failing to do something you were supposed to do, often out of carelessness.

What is the difference between neglect and negligence?

Neglect is the general failure to provide care. Negligence is a more formal and legal term for the failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would, resulting in harm or damage.

Is 'neglect' a verb or a noun?

It can be both. As a verb, it's the action of failing to care for something ('She neglects her plants'). As a noun, it's the state of being uncared for ('The plants show signs of neglect').

What is an example of neglect?

An example would be a landlord who neglects to fix a leaky roof in a tenant's apartment. Another is a person who neglects their duty to care for an elderly parent.

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