neglect
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to fail to give enough care or attention to someone or something.
v.to fail to provide proper care, maintenance, or attention to a person or object, often resulting in deterioration.
Simple“The garden was a mess because the previous owners had neglected it for years.”
In context“The historic building had been neglected for decades, resulting in significant structural damage that would cost millions to repair.”
UsageTransitive verb taking a direct object.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to forget or fail to do something that you should do.
v.to omit to perform a duty or task through oversight or lack of attention.
Simple“He neglected to mention that the meeting had been cancelled.”
In context“The witness neglected to provide several crucial details during the initial police interview, which later complicated the trial.”
UsageOften followed by an infinitive (to + verb).
- 03 C1 Advanced
v.to ignore a small detail or number in science or math because it does not change the result much.
v.to disregard a variable or value in a calculation because its effect is considered insignificant to the final outcome.
Simple“In this basic physics problem, we can neglect air resistance.”
In context“For the purposes of this simulation, we can neglect the gravitational pull of smaller celestial bodies to simplify the orbital mechanics.”
UsageCommonly used in physics and engineering contexts.
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a situation where someone or something does not get the care or attention they need.
n.the state of being uncared for or the act of failing to provide necessary attention.
Simple“The old house fell into a state of neglect after the family moved away.”
In context“The report highlighted the systemic neglect of the city's public infrastructure, citing crumbling bridges and poorly maintained roads.”
UsageOften functions as an uncountable noun.
Synonyms
“They have been taken by child protection services due to the lack of a fridge in the house, which is treated as a sign of neglect.”
“And this is an urgent situation." Buenaventura is one of several cities and towns where residents fear a pattern of state neglect will affect how resources are distributed after the deadly earthquake.”
The verb is inherited from Middle English neglect, neclect, derived from Latin neglēctus, perfect passive participle of neglegō (“to make light of, disregard, not to pick up”), itself from nec (“not”) + legō (“to pick up, select”). The noun is from neglēctus (“neglect”). First attested in 1460, the noun in 1588.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.