If someone in a position of responsibility is negligent, they do not do something which they ought to do.
The jury determined that the airline was negligent in training and supervising thecrew.
The Council had acted in a negligent manner.
Synonyms: careless, regardless, slack, thoughtless More Synonyms of negligent
negligentlyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
A manufacturer negligently made and marketed a car with defective brakes.
2. graded adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
If you describe a person's movements or manner as negligent, you mean that they look relaxed and informal.
[literary]
Laura acknowledged this compliment with a negligent wave of her left hand.
She stood in the doorway, one hand above her head in a negligent pose.
negligentlygraded adverb [ADVERB with verb]
He slouched at his desk, arms negligently spread over his papers.
More Synonyms of negligent
negligent in British English
(ˈnɛɡlɪdʒənt)
adjective
1.
habitually neglecting duties, responsibilities, etc; lacking attention, care, or concern; neglectful
2.
careless or nonchalant
Derived forms
negligently (ˈnegligently)
adverb
negligent in American English
(ˈnɛglədʒənt)
adjective
1.
habitually failing to do the required thing; neglectful
2.
careless, lax, inattentive, or indifferent
SIMILAR WORDS: reˈmiss
Derived forms
negligently (ˈnegligently)
adverb
Word origin
ME < OFr négligent < L negligens, prp. of negligere: see neglect
negligent in Insurance
(nɛglɪdʒənt)
adjective
(Insurance: General)
If you are negligent, you do not take enough care of something or someone that you are responsible for, or you fail to do something which you ought to do.
The purpose of liability insurance is to cover property damage to a third party resultingfrom the negligent or intentional acts of an insured.
Firms that are proven negligent in causing a worker's injury can be held liable.
If you are negligent, you do not take enough care of something or someone that you are responsible for,or you fail to do something which you ought to do.
Examples of 'negligent' in a sentence
negligent
We allege that his behaviour was criminally negligent.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He said they were criminally negligent and corrupt and promised a comprehensive and independent investigation.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He accused the men of being criminally negligent.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
You are looking to whether there has been behaviour on the part of any one personthat was grossly negligent.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
But he had been criminally negligent and should have foreseen the strong possibility that he might end the life of his unseen human target.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The bank's fraud investigation team told her she had been grossly negligent so the money would not be refunded.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Be idle, careless or negligent.
The Sun (2015)
The company would not, it claimed, be found grossly negligent.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Either you were complicit, or grossly incompetent, or grossly negligent.
The Sun (2012)
The government, he said, would be criminally negligent to ignore the lessons of the past.
Simon Ball THE GUARDSMEN (2004)
It beggars belief and, to my mind, is criminally negligent.
The Sun (2008)
THE family of a barristers' clerk killed by an asthma attack will receive nearly 400,000 after a judge found an ambulance crew negligent.
The Sun (2015)
In other languages
negligent
British English: negligent ADJECTIVE
If someone in a position of responsibility is negligent, they do not do something which they ought to do.
The jury determined that the airline was negligent in training and supervising the crew.
American English: negligent
Brazilian Portuguese: negligente
Chinese: 渎职的
European Spanish: negligente
French: négligent
German: fahrlässig
Italian: negligente
Japanese: 怠って
Korean: 태만한
European Portuguese: negligente
Latin American Spanish: negligente
1 (adjective)
The jury ruled that the Council had acted in a negligent manner.
Synonyms
careless
Office workers are notoriously careless about their passwords.
regardless
slack
Many publishers have simply become far too slack.
thoughtless
It was thoughtless of her to mention it.
inadvertent
The government has said it was an inadvertent error.
unthinking
Bruce was no unthinking vandal.
forgetful
My mother has become very forgetful recently.
slapdash
a slapdash piece of work
neglectful
Children who are neglected tend to become neglectful parents.
heedless
She scattered the letters about in her heedless haste.
slipshod
inattentive
These children were more likely to be inattentive at school.
remiss (formal)
I would be remiss if I did not do something about it.
unmindful
disregardful
Opposites
careful
,
thorough
,
thoughtful
,
rigorous
,
attentive
,
mindful
,
painstaking
,
considerate
2 (adjective)
He responded with a negligent wave.
Synonyms
nonchalant
Denis tried unsuccessfully to look nonchalant and uninterested.
cool
People found her too cool, aloof and arrogant.
casual
an easy-going young man with a casual approach to life
detached
indifferent
People have become indifferent to the suffering of others.
careless
With a careless flip of his wrists, he sent the ball on its way.
laid-back (informal)
airy
He sailed past, giving them an airy wave of the hand.
unconcerned
Paul was unconcerned about what he had done.
dispassionate
We try to be dispassionate about the cases we bring.
offhand
Consumers found the attitude of its staff offhand.
insouciant
He worked with insouciant disregard for convention.
cursory
I gave the letter a fairly cursory reading.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of airy
Definition
light-hearted and casual
He sailed past, giving them an airy wave of the hand.
Synonyms
light-hearted,
light,
happy,
gay (old-fashioned),
lively,
cheerful,
animated,
merry,
upbeat (informal),
buoyant,
graceful,
cheery,
genial,
high-spirited,
jaunty,
chirpy (informal),
sprightly,
debonair,
nonchalant,
blithe,
frolicsome
in the sense of casual
Definition
being or seeming careless or nonchalant
an easy-going young man with a casual approach to life
Synonyms
careless,
relaxed,
informal,
indifferent,
unconcerned,
apathetic,
blasé,
offhand,
nonchalant,
insouciant,
lackadaisical
in the sense of cool
Definition
indifferent or unfriendly
People found her too cool, aloof and arrogant.
Synonyms
unfriendly,
reserved,
distant,
indifferent,
aloof,
lukewarm,
unconcerned,
uninterested,
frigid,
unresponsive,
offhand,
unenthusiastic,
uncommunicative,
unwelcoming,
standoffish,
QL
Synonyms of 'negligent'
negligent
Explore 'negligent' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of cursory
Definition
hasty and usually superficial
I gave the letter a fairly cursory reading.
Synonyms
brief,
passing,
rapid,
casual,
summary,
slight,
hurried,
careless,
superficial,
hasty,
perfunctory,
desultory,
offhand,
slapdash
in the sense of dispassionate
Definition
not influenced by emotion
We try to be dispassionate about the cases we bring.
Synonyms
objective,
fair,
neutral,
detached,
indifferent,
impartial,
impersonal,
disinterested,
unbiased,
uninvolved,
unprejudiced
in the sense of forgetful
Definition
tending to forget
My mother has become very forgetful recently.
Synonyms
absent-minded,
vague,
careless,
neglectful,
oblivious,
lax,
negligent,
dreamy,
slapdash,
heedless,
slipshod,
inattentive,
unmindful,
apt to forget,
having a memory like a sieve
in the sense of heedless
Definition
taking no notice
She scattered the letters about in her heedless haste.
Synonyms
careless,
reckless,
negligent,
rash,
precipitate,
oblivious,
foolhardy,
thoughtless,
unthinking,
imprudent,
neglectful,
inattentive,
incautious,
unmindful,
unobservant
in the sense of inadvertent
Definition
done unintentionally
The government has said it was an inadvertent error.
Synonyms
unintentional,
accidental,
unintended,
chance,
careless,
negligent,
unwitting,
unplanned,
thoughtless,
unthinking,
heedless,
unpremeditated,
unheeding
in the sense of inattentive
Definition
not paying attention
These children were more likely to be inattentive at school.
Synonyms
preoccupied,
distracted,
careless,
negligent,
dreamy,
regardless,
vague,
thoughtless,
absent-minded,
slapdash,
neglectful,
heedless,
slipshod,
remiss (formal),
unmindful,
unobservant,
unheeding,
distrait,
ditzy or ditsy (slang)
in the sense of indifferent
Definition
showing no concern or interest
People have become indifferent to the suffering of others.
Synonyms
unconcerned,
distant,
detached,
cold,
cool,
regardless,
careless,
callous,
aloof,
unimpressed,
unmoved,
unsympathetic,
impervious,
uncaring,
uninterested,
apathetic,
unresponsive,
heedless,
inattentive,
not giving a monkey's (slang)
in the sense of insouciant
Definition
carefree or unconcerned
He worked with insouciant disregard for convention.
Synonyms
nonchalant,
casual,
carefree,
gay,
sunny,
buoyant,
airy,
breezy,
unconcerned,
jaunty,
untroubled,
happy-go-lucky,
free and easy,
unworried,
light-hearted
in the sense of neglectful
Definition
not paying enough care or attention
Children who are neglected tend to become neglectful parents.
Synonyms
careless,
indifferent,
lax,
negligent,
uncaring,
thoughtless,
heedless,
inattentive,
remiss (formal),
unmindful,
disregardful
in the sense of offhand
Definition
curt or casual in manner
Consumers found the attitude of its staff offhand.
Synonyms
casual,
informal,
indifferent,
careless,
abrupt,
cavalier,
aloof,
unconcerned,
curt,
uninterested,
glib,
cursory,
couldn't-care-less,
apathetic,
perfunctory,
blasé,
brusque,
take-it-or-leave-it (informal),
nonchalant,
lackadaisical,
unceremonious,
offhanded
Additional synonyms
in the sense of remiss
Definition
careless in attention to duty or responsibility
I would be remiss if I did not do something about it.