Verb

vernachlässigen

to neglect, to ignore, to disregard

Er hat seine Pflichten vernachlässigt.

He neglected his duties.

Das Kind fühlte sich vernachlässigt.

The child felt neglected.

Man sollte seine Gesundheit nicht vernachlässigen.

One shouldn't neglect one's health.

((sb./sth.)) to neglect (sb./sth.) She neglected her studies.

Synonyms: to ignore, to disregard; Antonyms: to care for (pflegen), to look after (sich kümmern um)

From the prefix 'ver-' (indicating something going wrong) and 'nachlässig' (negligent), which comes from 'nachlassen' (to let go). Literally, to let something go in a wrong way.

Think 'ver-' as 'for-' in 'forget'. You 'forget' to look 'nach' (after) something, so you neglect it.

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