negligible

adjective

neg·​li·​gi·​ble ˈne-gli-jə-bəl How to pronounce negligible (audio)
Synonyms of negligiblenext
: so small or unimportant or of so little consequence as to warrant little or no attention : trifling
a negligible error
last year sales were negligible
a negligible risk
a negligible effect
… was suffering terribly from the bad reviews and negligible sales of his first book …E. L. Doctorow
negligibility noun
negligibly adverb

Did you know?

Negligible comes from the same Latin verb as neglect, so something negligible is literally "neglectable". If an accident results in negligible damage to your car, you should be thankful. If two years of intense focus on testing in the classroom results in a negligible improvement in student test scores, it's probably time to try something new.

Examples of negligible in a Sentence

A negligible amount of damage was done to the vehicle. The price difference was negligible.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The acquisition cost in this case will likely be negligible. Chris Johnston, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026 In an informal test, the Outside Lab measured the Adidas Adios Pro 4 before and after the Berlin marathon and found negligible wear. Jonathan Beverly, Outside, 26 Dec. 2025 While some short throw projectors allow for 4K resolution, the difference between a high-quality 1080p projector and a budget model capable of producing a 4K image is negligible and does not warrant the extra expense. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2025 Toho said the acquisition and alliance are expected to have a negligible impact on its consolidated financial results for the current fiscal year, with the focus instead on medium- to long-term growth. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for negligible

Word History

Etymology

Latinization of French négligeable, from négliger "to disregard, neglect" (going back to Middle French negliger, borrowed from Latin neglegere, neclegere "to disregard, do nothing about") + -able -able — more at neglect entry 1

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of negligible was in 1829

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Cite this Entry

“Negligible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/negligible. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

negligible

adjective
neg·​li·​gi·​ble ˈneg-li-jə-bəl How to pronounce negligible (audio)
: so small or unimportant as to deserve little or no attention
a negligible error
negligibly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on negligible

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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