neglectful

Neglectful is used to describe people who have neglected someone or something, meaning they’ve failed to pay enough attention or have not done enough to provide proper care.

Neglectful is often followed by the word of and the person or thing being neglected, as in I’m afraid I’ve been neglectful of my duties. Neglectful can also be used to describe such a person’s actions, as in Their parenting is neglectful at best. 

Describing someone as neglectful of objects or things usually means that they haven’t maintained such things properly. To be neglectful of your car is to fail to make sure it gets the maintenance it needs to keep running properly. To be neglectful of your health is to fail to do anything to maintain it. To be neglectful of your duties is to disregard them, often due to being preoccupied with other things.

When it’s used in the context of people, neglectful implies a lack of attention and care. When you’re neglectful of 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. When the word is used in relation to the care of children, it describes someone who has failed to properly care for them in a way that’s equivalent to mistreatment or abuse. The word negligent can be a synonym and is based on the same root.

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 neglectful treatment, these pets are being adopted into loving homes.

The first records of the word neglectful come from the 1600s. Its base word, neglect, comes from the Latin neclēctus, from the verb neglegere, meaning “to disregard, ignore, slight.”

Being neglectful of things typically involves letting them fall into a state of disrepair or decay. Being neglectful of people is often more serious, and can involve physical or emotional neglect or both. The opposite of being neglectful is being attentive and providing the proper care.

What are some other forms related to neglectful? 

• neglectfully (adverb)
• neglectfulness (noun)
• neglect (verb, noun)

What are some synonyms for neglectful?

• negligent
• careless

What are some words that share a root or word element with neglectful? 

• negligible

What are some words that often get used in discussing neglectful?

• duty
• responsibility
• abuse
• emotionally
• attention
• care
• disregard
• harm
• trauma
• maintain
• disrepair
• decay

Neglectful can be used in a variety of situations. When it’s used in relation to children, it usually implies abuse.

Learning that I attracted partners who were unappreciative and neglectful because I was unappreciative and neglectful of myself.

— Indy 🌻 (@MsAriesMoon) November 10, 2020

"That you are neglectful of your duties, in that you are a habitual reader of books and magazines, and seem reluctant to cease reading long enough to wait on the patrons."

From William Faulkner's performance review during his (brief tenure) as a postman.
https://t.co/44Xh2sbfpM

— Literary Hub (@lithub) September 25, 2018

Life is insanely busy. And I am brutally neglectful of my garden. Luckily, these natives don’t seem to mind. So, as the world goes mad, and some of its citizens are desperately disappointing, sometimes unpretentious Australian beauty is a salve. Have a lovely weekend, everyone. pic.twitter.com/rU7aVspPf2

— Louise Milligan (@Milliganreports) November 6, 2020

Which of the following actions could be described as neglectful? 

A. failing to give attention
B. failing to give proper care
C. failing to give emotional support
D. all of the above