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Synonyms

negligence

American  
[neg-li-juhns] / ˈnɛg lɪ dʒəns /

noun

  1. the quality, fact, or result of being negligent; neglect.

    negligence in discharging one's responsibilities.

  2. an instance of being negligent.

    a downfall brought about by many negligences.

  3. Law. the failure to exercise that degree of care that, in the circumstances, the law requires for the protection of other persons or those interests of other persons that may be injuriously affected by the want of such care.

adjective

  1. Law. pertaining to or involving a civil action for compensation for damages filed by a person who claims to have suffered an injury or loss in an accident caused by another's negligence.

    a negligence suit;

    a large negligence award.
negligence British  
/ ˈnɛɡlɪdʒəns /

noun

  1. the state or quality of being negligent

  2. a negligent act

  3. law a civil wrong whereby a person or party is in breach of a legal duty of care to another which results in loss or injury to the claimant

"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

Related Words

See neglect.

Other Word Forms

  • nonnegligence noun
  • overnegligence noun
  • prenegligence noun
  • supernegligence noun

Etymology

Origin of negligence

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, variant of necligence, from Latin necligentia; negligent, -ence

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.

They include the bar's French owners, husband and wife Jacques and Jessica Moretti, who face charges of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak was also arrested on Saturday, after a panel appointed to investigate the unrest recommended the pair be prosecuted for criminal negligence.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

The industry said it supports rooting out suspected fraud and negligence.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026

One of the earliest comics, in 1938, involved Superman exposing the negligence of mine owners who endangered their workers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

In the little light Johnny recognized the rolling black eye, poetic negligence of dress.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.