negligence

noun

neg·​li·​gence ˈne-gli-jən(t)s How to pronounce negligence (audio)
1
a
: the quality or state of being negligent
b
: failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in like circumstances
… his naivete and negligence had been the source of his problems.Michael Leahy
2
: an act or instance of being negligent
regretted his past negligences

Examples of negligence in a Sentence

The company was charged with negligence in the manufacturing of the defective tires. exhibiting his usual negligence, he failed to set the emergency brake, and the car rolled down the steep hill and crashed into the telephone pole
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Daniel Penny, a former Marine on trial for the Manhattan subway death of Jordan Neely, now faces a separate civil lawsuit from Neely’s father alleging negligence, assault, and battery as a jury deliberates Penny’s fate in the criminal case. Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 5 Dec. 2024 In a recent legal filing, Weinstein's attorneys claimed the conditions at Rikers amounted to negligence, exacerbating chronic ailments including diabetes and chronic myeloid leukemia. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024 Recent breaches, including one exposing the sensitive information of 600,000 Americans, highlight this negligence. Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 2 Dec. 2024 As such, to ensure that his constitutional rights are protected, and those responsible for medical negligence and other violations of the law are held accountable, Mr. Weinstein is suing the City of New York and the agencies responsible for his mistreatment. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 27 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for negligence 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English necligence, neglicence, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin neglegentia, neclegentia, from neglegent-, neglegens, necligens negligent + -ia -ia entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of negligence was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near negligence

Cite this Entry

“Negligence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/negligence. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

negligence

noun
neg·​li·​gence ˈneg-li-jən(t)s How to pronounce negligence (audio)
1
a
: the quality or state of being negligent
b
: failure to take the care that a reasonably cautious person usually takes
2
: an act or instance of negligence

Legal Definition

negligence

noun
neg·​li·​gence ˈne-gli-jəns How to pronounce negligence (audio)
: failure to exercise the degree of care expected of a person of ordinary prudence in like circumstances in protecting others from a foreseeable and unreasonable risk of harm in a particular situation
also : conduct that reflects this failure

called also ordinary negligence, simple negligence

compare abuse sense 2, due care, intent

Note: Negligence may render one civilly and sometimes criminally liable for resulting injuries.

collateral negligence
: negligence on the part of an independent contractor that is not connected with a manner of working or risk ordinarily associated with particular work and for which the employer of the contractor is not liable
comparative negligence \ kəm-​ˈpar-​ə-​tiv-​ \
a : negligence of one among multiple parties involved in an injury that is measured (as in percentages) according to the degree of its contribution to the injury the comparative negligence of the plaintiff
b : a doctrine, rule, or method of apportioning liability and damages in tort law: negligence and damages are determined by reference to the proportionate fault of the plaintiff and defendant with the negligence of the plaintiff not constituting an absolute bar to recovery from the defendant compare contributory negligence in this entry

Note: The great majority of states have replaced the doctrine of contributory negligence with that of comparative negligence.

: an affirmative defense alleging comparative negligence by the plaintiff
contributory negligence
: negligence on the part of a plaintiff that contributed to the injury at issue
: a now largely abolished doctrine in tort law: negligence on the part of a plaintiff that contributed to the injury at issue will bar recovery from the defendant
also : an affirmative defense based on this doctrine
criminal negligence
: a gross deviation from the standard of care expected of a reasonable person that is manifest in a failure to protect others from a risk (as of death) deriving from one's conduct and that renders one criminally liable

called also culpable negligence

compare gross negligence in this entry
gross negligence
: negligence that is marked by conduct that presents an unreasonably high degree of risk to others and by a failure to exercise even the slightest care in protecting them from it and that is sometimes associated with conscious and willful indifference to their rights see also recklessness compare criminal negligence in this entry
negligence per se \ -​ˌpər-​ˈsā, -​ˈsē \
: negligence that consists of a violation of a statute especially designed to protect the public safety

Note: Recovery may be had on a theory of negligence per se when the harm resulting from the violation is the type that the statute is designed to prevent, the plaintiff is a member of the class of persons sought to be protected by the statute, and the violation is the proximate cause of the plaintiff's injury.

ordinary negligence
passive negligence
: failure to do something (as to discover a dangerous condition on one's property) that is not a breach of an affirmative duty and that in combination with another's act is a cause of injury
simple negligence
slight negligence
: failure to exercise the great degree of care typical of an extraordinarily prudent person

Note: The category of slight negligence is used much less frequently than ordinary negligence and gross negligence, the other members of a three-level classification that was formerly prevalent.

More from Merriam-Webster on negligence

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!