Skip to main content
uncared-for

uncared-for

1 4.2
Not looked after and left in bad condition
  • adjective
  • /ˌʌnˈkɛrd fɔr/
: descuido
  • Her chipped and uncared-for manicure is very telling.
  • an uncared-for look
  • alone and uncared-for

Examples

  • Many pets in the shelter were uncared-for, needing love and attention before they could find a new home.

  • The house had a run-down, uncared-for look, as if no one lived there at all.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • I can't bear to see them there, dead and vulnerable and uncared for.

    Blog text (33)
  • The kitchen looks different: dirtier, uncared-for.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • It's a dilapidated old house, uncared for, overgrown; a 'For Sale' sign stands crookedly in the front yard.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • The garden looked overgrown and uncared-for, with weeds taking over the flower beds.

  • After years of neglect, the uncared-for house became a haven for wildlife and was barely recognizable.

Synonyms

unattended
vsuncared-for
45 3.6

Left without anyone watching or caring for them

stresses absence of required care rather than only lack of watching
neglected
vsuncared-for
17 3.7

Not cared for or looked after so it becomes damaged

is the hyphenated phrase used in the same sense
unloved
vsuncared-for
15 3.4

Not cared for or shown affection

concerns missing practical care and maintenance, not emotional affection
untended
vsuncared-for
4 4.9

Not given care, like a garden

is about lacking required care rather than occasional oversight
uncared
vsuncared-for
1 5.5

Not looked after and left in bad condition

focuses on missing necessary care and support
unregarded
vsuncared-for
1 6.7

Not noticed or given any attention

is about missing physical care and upkeep rather than being overlooked
unhandled
vsuncared-for
3.9

A task or problem that no one has dealt with yet

focuses on missing care or upkeep rather than unresolved duties

Antonyms

16 2.8

Kept in good condition by regular care

5 2.9

Someone looks after them to keep them healthy and safe

How Cared

cared-for
5 2.9
uncared-for
1 4.2

Surface Forms

uncared-for positive

Morphology

uncared-for = cared-for (transparent) = un + for + care + ed

Formed by prefixing 'un-' to the adjectival phrase 'cared-for' (looked after), so the meaning 'not looked after' is directly derived.

Etymology

Uncared-for is made from un- ('not') and care ('attention' or 'looking after') plus -for, so it literally means 'not given care'. So an uncared-for house, garden, or pet is one that has not been looked after and is neglected.