# neglect

/nəˈɡɫɛkt/ (US) · /nɪɡlˈɛkt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/neglect
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to fail to care for

verb · CEFR B2

to fail to give enough care or attention to someone or something.

For teachers: to fail to provide proper care, maintenance, or attention to a person or object, often resulting in deterioration.

- The garden was a mess because the previous owners had neglected it for years.
- The historic building had been neglected for decades, resulting in significant structural damage that would cost millions to repair.

Usage: Transitive verb taking a direct object.

### 2. to fail to do a task

verb · CEFR B2

to forget or fail to do something that you should do.

For teachers: to omit to perform a duty or task through oversight or lack of attention.

- He neglected to mention that the meeting had been cancelled.
- The witness neglected to provide several crucial details during the initial police interview, which later complicated the trial.

Usage: Often followed by an infinitive (to + verb).

### 3. to ignore for calculation

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical · Academic

to ignore a small detail or number in science or math because it does not change the result much.

For teachers: to disregard a variable or value in a calculation because its effect is considered insignificant to the final outcome.

- In this basic physics problem, we can neglect air resistance.
- For the purposes of this simulation, we can neglect the gravitational pull of smaller celestial bodies to simplify the orbital mechanics.

Usage: Commonly used in physics and engineering contexts.

### 4. lack of care

noun · CEFR B2

a situation where someone or something does not get the care or attention they need.

For teachers: the state of being uncared for or the act of failing to provide necessary attention.

- The old house fell into a state of neglect after the family moved away.
- The report highlighted the systemic neglect of the city's public infrastructure, citing crumbling bridges and poorly maintained roads.

Usage: Often functions as an uncountable noun.

## Examples

- The old house fell into a state of neglect after years of being empty.
- The garden suffered from total neglect during the long winter months, leaving the flowerbeds overgrown with weeds.
- The report highlighted a systemic neglect of infrastructure, suggesting that the recent bridge failure was a predictable consequence of deferred maintenance and budget cuts.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.