noun
dereliction
dehr-ih-LIHK-shuhn
Dereliction (noun) means a failure to do what duty requires; neglect of responsibility. Example: “The officer was charged with dereliction of duty.”
noun
1
A failure to do what duty requires; neglect of responsibility.
"The new soldier did not clean his cabin and was scolded for dereliction and disobedience."
"What he did was a terrible dereliction of duty."
"The officer was charged with dereliction of duty."
2
The state of being abandoned and neglected.
"After years of unsympathetic commercial use and dereliction, nothing of note remained inside, which accordingly has been reconfigured with modern amenities such as underfloor heating."
— Robin Leleux, Awards honour the best restoration projects: The Network Rail Community Award: Saltash and Stow (2021)
"The old mill has fallen into total dereliction."
How to use dereliction
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNeglecting a duty you were supposed to carry out, or the abandoned state that results from neglect.
Common pairings
dereliction of duty
state of dereliction
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Word forms
- Plural
- derelictions
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The officer was charged with _____ of duty.
Etymology
From Latin derelictio, "abandonment," from derelinquere, "to abandon."
Synonyms
View more →
delinquency
willful neglect
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for dereliction
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for dereliction →
Frequently asked questions
What does “dereliction” mean?
The word “dereliction” means a failure to do what duty requires; neglect of responsibility. In plain terms, neglecting a duty you were supposed to carry out, or the abandoned state that results from neglect.
How do you pronounce “dereliction”?
“Dereliction” is pronounced dehr-ih-LIHK-shuhn (/dɛɹ.ɪˈlɪk.ʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “dereliction” in a sentence?
Here is “dereliction” used in a sentence: “The officer was charged with dereliction of duty.”
What part of speech is “dereliction”?
“Dereliction” is a noun.
Where does the word “dereliction” come from?
The word “dereliction” comes from Latin. From Latin derelictio, "abandonment," from derelinquere, "to abandon.".
How many meanings does “dereliction” have?
“Dereliction” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a failure to do what duty requires; neglect of responsibility.
