negligent
[neg-li-juhnt]
- guilty of or characterized by neglect, as of duty: negligent officials.
- lazily careless; offhand: a negligent wave of his manicured hand.
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Origin of negligent
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com1. neglectful.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
inattentive, lax, inadvertent, sloppy, cursory, delinquent, derelict, forgetful, heedless, inconsiderate, neglectful, nonchalant, offhand, regardless, remiss, slack, slapdash, slipshod, slovenly, thoughtlessExamples from the Web for negligent
Contemporary Examples
Was it negligent for the police to fail to consider the two crimes in context?
But their action just proved another confounding piece of this negligent puzzle.
It was a negligent accident that cost more than 30 lives, including a salvage diver who perished working on the wreck.
Requiring licenses and negligent discharge insurance would be part of common sense reform.
A Former Navy Firearms Instructor and Proud Gun Owner On Why We Need Common Sense Gun ControlShawn VanDiver
May 14, 2014
AEG was found not liable—not negligent in the death of Michael Jackson.
Sorry, Mrs. Jackson: How the King of Pop’s Mother Lost Her Billion-Dollar LawsuitDiane Dimond
October 3, 2013
Historical Examples
At this season of the year the vintagers are joyous and negligent.
To return again to the lying, dishonest, and negligent servant.
The Romance of the SoulLilian Staveley
He looked up and down the street, assuming a negligent attitude.
The Trimming of GoosieJames Hopper
She appeard there all negligent and careless in her Dress, but yet she appeard all beautiful and charming.
The Works of Aphra BehnAphra Behn
He was horrified to realize how heartless and negligent he had been.
In a Little TownRupert Hughes
negligent
- habitually neglecting duties, responsibilities, etc; lacking attention, care, or concern; neglectful
- careless or nonchalant
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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 negligent
adj.
late 14c., from Old French negligent "careless, negligent" (13c.) or directly from Latin negligentem "heedless, careless, unconcerned" (see negligence). Related: Negligently.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper