neglect
verb (used with object)
to pay no attention or too little attention to; disregard or slight.
had been neglecting
-
past perfect progressiveof neglect.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Then he launched into projects he had been neglecting.
From New York Times ● Jun. 29, 2022
Purdue introduced OxyContin in the late 1990s, at a moment when the medical profession was seeking better ways to alleviate pain, which it had been neglecting.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 7, 2021
I did immediately binge “The Morning Show” because I had been neglecting my TV shows.
From Washington Times ● Feb. 12, 2020
Here was a shop that had been neglecting music for years, turning to games and DVDs and electronic hardware, compacting its music catalogue into an ever smaller space.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 15, 2013
It was true of course—I had been neglecting my friends even more than I had been neglecting myself.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
