neglect

American  

[ni-glekt] / nɪˈglɛkt /

verb (used with object)

• neglects,
  present (3rd person singular)
• neglected,
  past participle,  past
• neglecting
  present participle

1. to pay no attention or too little attention to; disregard or slight.

   The public neglected his genius for many years.

   Synonyms:

   ignore

2. to be remiss in the care or treatment of.

   to neglect one's family; to neglect one's appearance.

3. to omit, through indifference or carelessness.

   to neglect to reply to an invitation.

4. to fail to carry out or perform (orders, duties, etc.).

   to neglect the household chores.

5. to fail to take or use.

   to neglect no precaution.

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noun

1. an act or instance of neglecting; disregard; negligence.

   The neglect of the property was shameful.

   Synonyms:

   heedlessness, inattention, default

   Antonyms:

   care, attention

2. the fact or state of being neglected.

   a beauty marred by neglect.

   Synonyms:

   heedlessness, inattention, default

neglect British  

/ nɪˈɡlɛkt /

verb

1. to fail to give due care, attention, or time to

   to neglect a child

2. to fail (to do something) through thoughtlessness or carelessness

   he neglected to tell her

3. to ignore or disregard

   she neglected his frantic signals

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noun

1. lack of due care or attention; negligence

   the child starved through neglect

2. the act or an instance of neglecting or the state of being neglected

Usage

What does neglect mean? Neglect means to fail to pay enough attention to someone or something or to not do enough to properly care for someone or something. In terms of things, neglect usually means that you haven’t maintained them properly. To neglect your car is to fail to make sure it gets the maintenance it needs to keep running properly. To neglect your health is to fail to do anything to maintain it. To neglect your duties is to disregard them, often due to being preoccupied with other things. When it’s used in the context of people, neglect implies a lack of attention and care. When you neglect a friend or romantic partner, it means you don’t spend enough time with them or you fail to consider or care about their emotional needs. However, the word neglect is often associated with even more serious situations. When the word is used in relation to the care of children, it means to fail to properly care for them in a way that’s equivalent to mistreatment or abuse. This is sometimes called negligence (which is a synonym of neglect and is based on the same root). As a verb, neglect can also mean to fail to do something, such as through indifference, thoughtlessness, or carelessness. This sense of the verb is typically followed by another verb (in its infinitive form), as in I neglected to check a single box on the form and now I have to start over. Neglect is also commonly used as a noun meaning the act or an instance of neglecting, as in These children are victims of neglect, or the state of being neglected, as in The house was in a state of neglect. The adjective neglectful can be used to describe a person who neglects or their actions. The word neglected can also be used as an adjective, as in neglected children. Example: After years of neglect, these pets are being adopted into loving homes.

Synonym Usage

See slight. Neglect, dereliction, negligence, remissness imply carelessness, failure, or some important omission in the performance of one's duty, a task, etc. Neglect and negligence are occasionally interchangeable, but neglect commonly refers to an instance, negligence to the habit or trait, of failing to attend to or perform what is expected or required: gross neglect of duty; negligence in handling traffic problems. Dereliction implies culpable or reprehensible neglect or failure in the performance of duty: dereliction in a position of responsibility. Remissness implies the omission or the careless or indifferent performance of a duty: remissness in filing a report on the accident.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• neglectedness
  noun
• neglecter
  noun
• neglector
  noun
• overneglect
  verb (used with object)
• preneglect
  verb (used with object)
• quasi-neglected
  adjective
• self-neglect
  adjective
• self-neglecting
  adjective
• unneglected
  adjective
• neglectedly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• neglecting
  present
• neglected
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• neglect
  simple
• neglects
  simple
• have neglected
  perfect
• has neglected
  perfect
• am neglecting
  progressive
• are neglecting
  progressive
• is neglecting
  progressive
• have been neglecting
  perfect progressive
• has been neglecting
  perfect progressive

Past

• neglected
  simple
• had neglected
  perfect
• was neglecting
  progressive
• were neglecting
  progressive
• had been neglecting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will neglect
  simple
• will have neglected
  perfect
• will be neglecting
  progressive
• will have been neglecting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of neglect

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin neglēctus, variant of neclēctus (past participle of neglegere, neclegere “to disregard, ignore, slight”), equivalent to nec “not” + leg-, base of legere “to pick up” + -tus past participle suffix

Explanation

Neglect is worse than ignoring something. It's ignoring it, failing to care for it, and probably harming it in the process. The word neglect comes from the Latin verb neglegere, which means "disregarded." You can neglect to do your chores, meaning fail to do them, but this word is usually reserved for cases when you willingly refuse to care for something appropriately. Child neglect is what parents get charged with when they fail to provide for their child's basic needs. If you go on vacation and neglect your plants, they may wither and die due to your lack of attention.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

neglect neglects neglected neglecting

Symbols of neglect and urban decay abound in artist Sayre Gomez’s “Precious Moments” at David Kordansky Gallery, on view through March 1.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

Also include a clear record of inspections and previous repairs, demonstrating that the damage was not caused by ongoing neglect.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

Difficult experiences early in life, including criticism, neglect, or severe reactions from caregivers, can influence emotional well-being and quality of life years later.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026

Multiple press reports and Lopez-Cornejo’s mother maintain that Lopez-Cornejo, a father of a 12-year-old girl, who suffered from chronic illness, died from medical neglect after he was refused treatment.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026

The court believed Kate’s sons would be safe with Uncle Edward, so her neglect case was dropped and the boys were released from the asylum.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Mr. Jensen all too often neglects his big man, but he writes with admirable acuity of the little men and women affected by it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026

To opponents of the forthcoming regulation, including many still inside the Social Security Administration, Warshawsky and Vought’s conception of the modern economy neglects the fact that workers like Tincher grew up in a different world.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2025

The recent sharp selloff in Zions Bancorp’s stock already more than captures any credit risk associated with loan losses, but it neglects the overall quality of the bank’s financials, an analyst said Thursday.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2025

For example, it neglects to show the good side of social media alongside its dangers, he says, and some details – including the secret emoji codes one character claims children use – ring false.

From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2025

If one neglects gravitational effects, as Einstein and Poincare did in 1905, one has what is called the special theory of relativity.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

In its statement, DHS denied HSI has neglected its core mission, saying the agency has increased its efforts to combat criminal cartels, gangs and drug traffickers in response to multiple Trump executive orders.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

"Prof Licence shows what can be achieved when neglected sources are expertly brought out of the shadows," he added.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026

Yet it is also the one India's cities have neglected most consistently.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Greece, he added, has long neglected many of its rural and forested areas.

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

Building his campaign around reforming the city’s political system and better tending to its neglected neighborhoods, Washington won the election by a hair.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

One in three even admitted to accidentally breaking the law by neglecting important responsibilities, like missing jury duty.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

“What if you considered this other perspective?” most of them ask, neglecting to realize that most people won’t be inclined to think harder unless they’re presented with more than a suggestion.

From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026

It laid much of the blame, once again, on Roark, saying it was focused on building out a restaurant platform that it plans to take public and neglecting Driven.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026

The hosts were not neglecting their defensive work, typified by a thunderous James Botham tackle.

From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2026

Their worry turns to anger when they find out that Vincent is neglecting his work at Goupil’s.

From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman

Related Words

• discount
• disregard
• ignore
• overlook
• reject
• spurn
• underestimate