was neglected

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was neglected" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something or someone was not given the attention or care they needed in the past. Example: "The old building was neglected for years, leading to its deterioration."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Health care was neglected.

The New Yorker

It was neglected.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The air-cooler business was neglected.

The Economist

Art itself was neglected, he believed.

The Economist

Drainage was neglected and malaria became endemic.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Nonetheless, at first, it was neglected.

Cornell University

No detail was neglected in the pageantry.

The New York Times

It was neglected, crime-ridden, rubbish-strewn.

The Guardian - Arts

Bending moment was neglected in the solution.

Composites Part B: Engineering

With Bigelow's death, the carillon was neglected for many years.

Princeton University

Thus, cell loss due to perfusion was neglected.

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was neglected" to clearly indicate a failure to provide necessary care or attention in the past. This is suitable for describing situations where something or someone suffered due to a lack of focus or resources.

Common error

Avoid shifting tenses when using "was neglected". Ensure that the surrounding sentences maintain a consistent past tense to avoid confusion. For example, don't mix 'was neglected' with present tense descriptions of the current state.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was neglected" functions as a passive verb phrase, indicating that the subject received a lack of care or attention. Ludwig's examples demonstrate its use across diverse contexts, highlighting its versatility in describing past oversights.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Academia

30%

Science

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was neglected" is a versatile and frequently used passive verb construction that signifies a past state of being uncared for or unattended. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and appears across a wide array of contexts, including news, academia, and science. While primarily neutral in tone, it can carry implications of blame or highlight the consequences of inattention. When seeking alternatives, consider "was overlooked" or "was disregarded" for nuanced meanings. To ensure clarity in your writing, maintain consistent tense usage and be mindful of the distinction between neglect and intentional ignoring.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was overlooked

Emphasizes a failure to notice or consider something.

was disregarded

Highlights a conscious decision to ignore something.

was ignored

Indicates a lack of attention, either intentionally or unintentionally.

was abandoned

Suggests a complete cessation of care or attention.

was forsaken

Implies a more severe form of abandonment, often with emotional connotations.

was marginalized

Focuses on the reduction of importance or influence.

was underestimated

Highlights a misjudgment of value or importance.

was slighted

Indicates a disrespectful lack of attention.

was remiss

Points out carelessness or negligence in execution.

went unattended

Highlights the lack of assistance or supervision.

FAQs

How can I use "was neglected" in a sentence?

Use "was neglected" to indicate a past failure to care for or attend to something. For example, "The historical building was neglected for decades, leading to its deterioration."

What's a more formal alternative to "was neglected"?

In more formal contexts, you can use phrases like "was disregarded" or "was overlooked" to convey a similar meaning with a slightly more elevated tone.

Is it correct to say "has been neglected" instead of "was neglected"?

Yes, "has been neglected" indicates that something started being neglected in the past and continues to be in a state of neglect, whereas "was neglected" simply refers to a past state. The choice depends on whether the neglect is ongoing or not.

What's the difference between "was neglected" and "was ignored"?

"Was neglected" suggests a failure to provide necessary care or attention, while "was ignored" implies a deliberate act of disregarding something. Neglect can be unintentional, while ignoring is usually intentional.