A neutral atom has high electronegativity.

Describe what happens to this atom during ionic bond formation?

The answer is: a neutral atom will gain electron (s) and form anion (ion with negative charge).

Electronegativity (χ) is a property that describes the tendency of an atom to attract a shared pair of electrons.

Atoms with higher electronegativity attracts more electrons towards it, electrons are closer to that atom.

For example, fluorine (F) has electronegativity approximately χ = 4 and sodium (Na) has χ = 3,5, fluorine attracts electron and he has negative charge and sodim has positive charge in table salt (NaCl).