neglected to update

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "neglected to update" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that someone failed to perform an update or did not take the necessary action to update something. Example: "I neglected to update the software, and now it's causing issues."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

He has hardly neglected to update his contacts ever since.

The New York Times

He recently moved and, not being as excited about the coming election as he was about the 2008 campaign, neglected to update his voter registration.

The New York Times

I did not tell them that Tony's death had plunged us into insolvency; that he had neglected to update the will he made in the 90s, which left everything he owned to his first wife.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It turned out that someone in the bowels of the Los Angeles municipal bureaucracy had neglected to update the legal status of the Wagoneer.

Vice

In early April, more than 900 kids were suspended in Waterloo, Ontario after their parents neglected to update their vaccine records, CTV reported.

Vice

The numbers presented in table S3 were based on an earlier version of the duplication detection pipeline we neglected to update this table when we updated our pipeline.

Genome Biology and Evolution

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

A18 States Plan Suit Against E.P.A. Seven state attorneys general announced a lawsuit accusing the Environmental Protection Agency of failing to enforce the Clean Air Act by neglecting to update its air pollution standards.

The New York Times

Specialized services, for which a broadband company uses part of its Internet pipeline to deliver dedicated services to specific customers, worry regulators who fear that companies will invest more to develop those more profitable offerings while neglecting to update basic broadband service.

The New York Times

I've also had people cut-and-paste a cover letter that they sent to previous organizations and neglect to update it to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Forbes

Our landmark higher education policies have ceased to function effectively, and lawmakers — consumed by partisan polarization and plutocracy — have neglected to maintain and update them, writes Mettler, a fellow at The Century Foundation.

Stanford University

Update: I neglected to mention that the demo video is in fact running in Adobe AIR, which does not run natively in the iPad environment.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "neglected to update", ensure the context clearly indicates the negative consequences of not updating. For example, "The company neglected to update its security software, leaving it vulnerable to attack."

Common error

Avoid using "neglected to update" when the person or entity had no clear responsibility or ability to update. Instead, use phrases like "failed to update" or "was unable to update".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "neglected to update" functions as a verb phrase indicating a failure to perform a necessary or expected update. As Ludwig AI points out, this failure often implies a degree of carelessness or oversight. The examples on Ludwig illustrate its use across various contexts, from software updates to personal information.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

26%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

6%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "neglected to update" is a grammatically correct verb phrase used to indicate a failure to perform an update, often implying carelessness or a lack of responsibility. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is commonly used in news and media, science, and wiki contexts. While similar phrases like "failed to update" or "forgot to update" exist, "neglected to update" carries a stronger connotation of blame or oversight. It's important to use this phrase accurately, ensuring the person or entity had a clear obligation to update. In essence, "neglected to update" serves to highlight a problem resulting from a lack of diligence in maintaining something current.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

failed to update

Replaces "neglected" with a more direct synonym, "failed".

forgot to update

Implies an oversight rather than deliberate neglect.

omitted to update

Uses a more formal synonym for "neglected".

overlooked updating

Focuses on the act of updating being missed.

missed the update

Highlights the missed opportunity for an update.

didn't bother to update

Adds a sense of indifference or lack of motivation.

deferred updating

Suggests a postponement that resulted in a failure to update.

put off updating

Similar to "deferred", but implies procrastination.

avoided updating

Indicates a conscious decision to not update.

skipped updating

Implies a deliberate choice to bypass the update.

FAQs

What does "neglected to update" mean?

The phrase "neglected to update" means that someone failed to update something, often implying a lack of attention or responsibility. It suggests that the update was necessary or expected, and the failure to do so has consequences.

What can I say instead of "neglected to update"?

You can use alternatives like "failed to update", "forgot to update", or "omitted to update" depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

How can I use "neglected to update" in a sentence?

You can use "neglected to update" in a sentence to indicate a failure to keep something current or to apply necessary changes. For example, "The programmer neglected to update the code, resulting in a security breach."

Is it better to say "failed to update" or "neglected to update"?

Both "failed to update" and "neglected to update" are correct, but "neglected to update" implies a degree of carelessness or lack of attention, while "failed to update" is more neutral and simply indicates that the update did not occur.