neglect

ni-GLEKT/nɪˈɡlɛkt/

7 meanings of neglect

1
verbtransitive
To not take care of someone or something that needs your attention.
Like forgetting to water a plant until it dries out.
If you neglect your teeth, they will start to hurt.
She neglected her plants until they dried up and died.
Similarignore, abandon
Oppositemaintain, tend
Note
2
verbtransitive
To fail to do something because you forgot or were careless.
Like leaving a chore undone because it slipped your mind.
Don't neglect your homework this weekend.
He neglected to lock the door before leaving.
Similarforget, omit, fail, skip
Oppositeremember
Note
3
noununcountable
The condition of being left without care or attention.
Like a toy left out in the rain until it falls apart.
The old house had fallen into neglect.
After years of neglect, the building was no longer safe.
Similardisrepair, dereliction, abandonment
Oppositeupkeep, care
4
noununcountable
The act of failing to care for someone or something.
Like choosing not to feed a pet you promised to look after.
His neglect of the dog made the whole street angry.
Their neglect of basic safety rules caused the accident.
Similarnegligence, disregard
Oppositecare, attention
Note
5
noununcountable
A regular failure to give proper care or attention.
Like never cleaning a room, so the mess just keeps growing.
The animals showed the effects of long neglect.
His neglect of his studies became a daily habit.
Similarnegligence, abandonment
Oppositecare
6
verbtransitive
To treat someone as unimportant by giving them no attention or respect.
Like walking past a friend without saying hello.
Don't neglect your old friends when you become successful.
She felt he had neglected her all evening at the party.
Similarignore, overlook, slight, disregard
7
verbtransitive
To leave something out of a calculation because it is too small to matter.
Like ignoring a single drop of water when you are filling a whole bucket.
We can neglect the weight of the string in this problem.
Engineers often neglect friction when the surface is very smooth.
Similarignore, disregard, discount, omit
Oppositeinclude
Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin neglegere, meaning to disregard or not pick something up. It comes from nec ('not') plus legere ('pick up, select').