neglect

[ni-glekt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR neglect ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to pay no attention or too little attention to; disregard or slight: The public neglected his genius for many years.

to be remiss in the care or treatment of: to neglect one's family; to neglect one's appearance.

to omit, through indifference or carelessness: to neglect to reply to an invitation.

to fail to carry out or perform (orders, duties, etc.): to neglect the household chores.

to fail to take or use: to neglect no precaution.

noun

an act or instance of neglecting; disregard; negligence: The neglect of the property was shameful.

the fact or state of being neglected: a beauty marred by neglect.

Origin of neglect

1520–30; < 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

Related formsne·glect·ed·ly, adverbne·glect·ed·ness, nounne·glect·er, ne·glec·tor, nouno·ver·ne·glect, verb (used with object)pre·ne·glect, verb (used with object)qua·si-ne·glect·ed, adjectiveself-ne·glect, adjectiveself-ne·glect·ing, adjectiveun·ne·glect·ed, adjective

Synonyms for neglect

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR neglect ON THESAURUS.COM

1. ignore. See slight. 6, 7. default, inattention, heedlessness. 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.

Antonyms for neglect

6. attention, care.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for neglect

disrespect, carelessness, indifference, oversight, lapse, dereliction, negligence, spurn, overlook, ignore, discount, underestimate, reject, disregard, discard, bypass, inadvertence, slight, laxness, inattention

Examples from the Web for neglect

Contemporary Examples of neglect

Those who neglect or mistrust him may be punished--indeed may deserve to be.
Will the Real Jim Palmer Please Stand Up
Tom Boswell
September 27, 2014
Police in Hampshire must now decide whether to extradite the Kings back to England and file kidnapping and neglect charges.
Desperate Parents Arrested After Fleeing Britain For Other Treatment Options for Son in Europe
Barbie Latza Nadeau
September 2, 2014
Now their son has been taken from them and they face criminal charges of neglect and child endangerment.
Desperate Parents Arrested After Fleeing Britain For Other Treatment Options for Son in Europe
Barbie Latza Nadeau
September 2, 2014
Of course people need to protect children above all else, and neglect and abuse should not be tolerated.
Postpartum Stigma: Why My Patient Committed Suicide
Jean Kim
August 5, 2014
Presumably some are afraid to call 911 because they are afraid of being charged with neglect.
Is It Wrong for Parents to Lock Up Their Disabled Kids?
Elizabeth Picciuto
August 4, 2014

Historical Examples of neglect

At present it was dark and weather-beaten, and in a general state of neglect.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
But this neglect has at length recoiled upon the heads of its promoters.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327
Various
One cause of the King's neglect was his great distress for money.
Cameos from English History, from Rollo to Edward II
Charlotte Mary Yonge
With the consequences of my neglect I now reproached myself in vain.
Tales And Novels, Volume 4 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth
It is at once a neglect of duty, and a certain forfeiture of esteem.
Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. I
Francis Augustus Cox

British Dictionary definitions for neglect

neglect

verb (tr)

to fail to give due care, attention, or time toto neglect a child

to fail (to do something) through thoughtlessness or carelessnesshe neglected to tell her

to ignore or disregardshe neglected his frantic signals

noun

lack of due care or attention; negligencethe child starved through neglect

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

Derived Formsneglecter or neglector, noun

Word Origin for neglect

C16: from Latin neglegere to neglect, from nec not + legere to select

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for neglect

1520s, from Latin neglectus, past participle of neglegere "to make light of, disregard, be indifferent to, not heed, not trouble oneself about," literally "not to pick up," variant of neclegere, from Old Latin nec "not" (see deny) + legere "pick up, select" (see lecture (n.)). Related: Neglected; neglecting.

1580s, from neglect (v.) or from Latin neglectus "a neglecting," noun use of past participle of neglegere.