Word
negligent
Phoneticsneg·li·gent, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈnɛɡɫədʒənt/
UK/nˈɛɡlɪdʒənt/
Definitions
01careless or inattentive
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. failing to take proper care in doing something.
adj. failing to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in like circumstances.
“The council was negligent in maintaining the safety of the local playground.”
“The report concluded that the company had been negligent in its safety procedures, leading directly to the avoidable accident at the plant.”
02legally responsible for damage
C1 · Advanced Law Technical · Formal
adj. responsible for a mistake or accident because you did not do your job carefully enough.
adj. culpable due to a breach of a duty of care; used to establish liability in civil law.
“The court found the driver negligent and ordered him to pay for the damages.”
“To succeed in a claim for damages, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant's conduct was negligent and caused the resulting injury.”
Usage
Often followed by the preposition 'in' plus a gerund, or used as a predicative adjective after 'find' in legal contexts.
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“The officials argued that the facility was negligent in caring for the animals and that the crocodiles therefore posed a public safety risk that justified the violent measures.” “So when a corporation is negligent, acting on a false belief it should have caught, responsibility has to land somewhere else.” Etymology
From Middle English necligent, negligent, from Old French negligent, from Latin negligēns.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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