asleep at the wheel
Not paying attention
Asleep at the wheel means failing to pay attention when vigilance is required—neglecting duties or missing something obvious.
The image is of a driver who has dozed off: The regulators were asleep at the wheel while the banks took on massive risk.
Sometimes literal, but usually figurative for inattentiveness in any role requiring watchfulness.
- neglectfulFailing to care properly
- dropping the ballFailing at a crucial moment
- inattentiveNot paying attention
- not paying attentionFailing to focus
- derelictAbandoned or neglectful
unfocused · careless · irresponsible · caught napping · distracted · oblivious · out to lunch · unaware · negligent · remiss · heedless · absentminded · head in the clouds · oversight · incautious · lapse · complacent · unobservant
- inattentiondistracted, spacing, absent-minded, distraction, obliviousness
- negligence expressionsdrop the ball, let slide, slack off, caught napping, neglect
- travel idiomshit the road, in the same boat, miss the boat, end of the road, crossroads
- Incompetencebungle, failure, botch, inability, blunder
- unreadyunprepared, ill-prepared, ill-equipped, unready, not ready
asleep at the wheelalert
Warning or watchfulness
vigilant · on the ball · wide awake · awake · sharp-eyed
asleep at the wheelhands-on
Involving direct physical engagement
in control · minding the store · proactive · engaged · diligent
asleep, wheel, sleep, sleepy, sleepily, sleepiness, sleeper, sleeping, sleepless