/nɪˈɡlɛktɪŋ/
Say it backNeglecting is the act of paying little or no attention to someone or something, or failing to give proper care or consideration. It implies purposeful or habitual omission, resulting in disregard or oversight. In grammar, neglecting can function as a participial verb form describing ongoing or habitual neglect.
"She was accused of neglecting her duties at the charity, which led to serious consequences."
"By neglecting to water the plants, they withered in the sun."
"The supervisor warned against neglecting safety protocols on the factory floor."
Pronounce as nih-ˈglek-tɪŋ for US and UK variants, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US nɪˈɡlɛk.tɪŋ, UK nɪˈɡlɛkt.ɪŋ. Start with a short, lax 'ni' then a crisp 'glek,' followed by a mild 'ting.' In connected speech, the t can be a soft d-like alveolar stop, and the final -ing remains unvoiced with a short schwa for the vowel in some dialects. Audio examples: refer to Cambridge or Oxford pronunciations for reference.
Two frequent errors: misplacing the stress to the first syllable (ne-GLECT-ing) which obscures the verb form; and muting the t, turning it into neglected as if it ended with a soft 'k-t' blend. Correct with clear schwa in -ing and a firm /t/ or alveolar stop before -ing in many speakers. Practice by isolating the middle consonant cluster and ensuring the second syllable is the most prominent.
US often has a strong /ɡl/ cluster and clear /ɪ/ in the first syllable, with a less emphasized -ing ending; UK tends to a shorter first syllable and may realize -ing with a clearer /ɪŋ/; Australian can shorten the vowel slightly and glide into the nasal, with a subtle non-rhoticity similar to UK. Overall, the main stress remains on the second syllable, but vowel qualities and flapping or tapping of /t/ can vary in rapid speech.
The challenge lies in the consonant cluster /g l/ immediately before the /ɛ/ vowel and the final -ing sequence blending with a trailing nasal. Some speakers insert a light pause or mispronounce as /nɛˈɡlɛktɪŋ/ with a short /ɪ/ or misplace stress. Focus on maintaining a clean /ɡ/ release, a crisp /l/ light contact, and a smooth, continuous -ing without over-articulating the /t/.
A distinctive feature is the strong assimilation of the /g/ into the /l/ sequence, where the tongue prepares for the /l/ while releasing the /g/. This can produce a subtly fused transition between /g/ and /l/, which is more noticeable in careful speech. Keeping the /g/ crisp and then transitioning to /l/ with the tip contacting the alveolar ridge helps maintain clean articulation.
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US: rhotic vowel quality, clearer /ɡl/; UK: shorter first syllable, often non-rhotic; AU: slight vowel reduction, mid-back /ɛ/ approximations. IPA references: US /nɪˈɡlɛk.tɪŋ/, UK /nɪˈɡlɛkt.ɪŋ/, AU /nɪˈɡlɛkt.ɪŋ/. Focus on: -g l- blend, rhoticity, and vowel duration differences. In US, you may hear a more open /æ/ sound in other words; here /ɛ/ remains common. In UK, the t may be more aspirated; AU tends to shorter, clipped vowels and faster syllable transitions.
Neglect derives from the Latin neglectus, past participle of neglegere, meaning to disregard or pay no attention. The Latin neg- (“not”) combines with legere (“to choose, select, gather”) and through late Latin and Old French developed into neglect in English with senses tied to failure to care or attend. In early English usage, neglect carried the sense of “to ignore deliberately” or “to fail to bestow care.” By the 15th–16th centuries, neglect appeared in legal and moral contexts denoting a failure to meet obligations. The gerund form neglecting emerged as English syntax absorbed the participial -ing to form continuous aspect and adjectives, aligning with phrases like neglecting duties or neglecting one’s responsibilities. Throughout modern usage, neglect frequently conveys habitual or culpable omission, not merely accidental oversight. The sense broadened to include physical neglect (neglecting a person’s needs) and administrative or procedural neglect (neglecting to follow protocol), retained across legal, medical, and social domains.
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Words that rhyme with "neglecting"
-ing sounds
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