benign neglect

collocation in English

meaningsofbenignandneglect

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withneglect.
benign
adjective
uk
/bɪˈnaɪn/
us
/bɪˈnaɪn/
pleasant ...
See more atbenign
neglect
noun[U]
uk
/nɪˈɡlekt/
us
/nɪˈɡlekt/
a situation in which you do not give enough care or attention to someone or something, or the state of not receiving enough care ...
See more atneglect

(Definition ofbenignandneglectfrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofbenign neglect

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
However, they did permit corporations to operate, and they often had liberal provisions (although perhaps as a result ofbenignneglect).
From theCambridge English Corpus
Thisbenignneglectwas probably intentional, as is argued below, since it facilitated a common coping strategy among inmates, namely, collusion with personnel.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Not sobenignneglect: researchers ignore ethnicity in defining family caregiver burden and recommending services.
From theCambridge English Corpus
This is sometimes called the "benignneglect" approach to diversity.
From theCambridge English Corpus
These could inspire inappropriate devotions,benignneglect, or even profanation.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Centralising and assimilationist initiatives alternated with periods of relativelybenignneglectwhen regional institutions were allowed to exist but were precluded from exercising real power.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Let me take an example, which illustrates the difference between the civic patriotic 'principled realism' and the attitude of 'benignneglect'.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Overseas, administrations tended to waver between a general policy ofbenignneglectand attempts to tinker more directly with the fringes of immense problems of morbidity.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The idea ofbenignneglect, therefore, provides no guidelines for thinking about language policy in public institutions, which is the central issue confronting any normative theory of language rights.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Nobody would favorbenignneglectif it meant that air traffic controllers could not understand one another, or that defendants could not understand the charges against them.
From theCambridge English Corpus
While explicit limitations on term were likely to be carefully thought out, the lack of a term limitation could result from either a conscious decision or frombenignneglect.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The creation of intellectual property rights was regarded as a complementary institutional set-up, parallel to the public provision of scientific knowledge and thebenignneglectof monopolistic market power.
From theCambridge English Corpus
That policy was not effective, and because of what was then called thebenignneglectof where our currency stood, the pound has fallen.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
They have a policy of neglect, and not necessarily a particularlybenignneglect.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
One reason why this country is backward compared with many others is that 1974 to 1979 was a period ofbenignneglectof the subject.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It was that high proportion of local sites suffering frombenignneglectthat prompted me to contribute to this debate.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
One can see clearly thatbenignneglectsaves money: planned management costs money.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Want to learn more?
Go to the definition ofbenign
Go to the definition ofneglect
See other collocations withneglect