delinquency
noun
de·lin·quen·cy
di-ˈliŋ-kwən-sē 
-ˈlin-
plural delinquencies
1
a
: a delinquent act
b
: conduct that is out of accord with accepted behavior or the law
especially
: juvenile delinquency
2
: a debt on which payment is overdue
Examples of delinquency in a Sentence
They tried to steer him away from delinquency by giving him a job in their store.
She's been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
a series of minor delinquencies
a high rate of delinquency
Recent Examples on the Web
The student loan delinquencies – a nasty side effect of pandemic relief programs expiring and loan forgiveness efforts falling short – have started to level off in recent months.
—
Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
Tax payments, charitable contributions, legal filings, rent payments and other bills or items that rely on postmark dates for deadlines can be impacted by later postmarks and risk late fees, penalties, or delinquency.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Borrowers can often get out of a delinquency status by making a payment on their student debt or enrolling in a forbearance, Mayotte said.
—Annie Nova, CNBC, 29 Dec. 2025
Amya was shot by her 14-year-old cousin, Seymour’s son, who was charged in Franklin County Juvenile Court with a delinquency charge of reckless homicide, The Columbus Dispatch and ABC6 reported.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delinquency
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Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
Tax payments, charitable contributions, legal filings, rent payments and other bills or items that rely on postmark dates for deadlines can be impacted by later postmarks and risk late fees, penalties, or delinquency.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Borrowers can often get out of a delinquency status by making a payment on their student debt or enrolling in a forbearance, Mayotte said.
—Annie Nova, CNBC, 29 Dec. 2025
Amya was shot by her 14-year-old cousin, Seymour’s son, who was charged in Franklin County Juvenile Court with a delinquency charge of reckless homicide, The Columbus Dispatch and ABC6 reported.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delinquency
Cite this Entry
“Delinquency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delinquency. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
delinquency
noun
de·lin·quen·cy
di-ˈliŋ-kwən-sē, -ˈlin-
plural delinquencies
: conduct that is out of accord with accepted behavior or the law
especially
: juvenile delinquency
Legal Definition
delinquency
noun
de·lin·quen·cy
di-ˈliŋ-kwən-sē
plural delinquencies
1
a
: the quality or state of being delinquent
b
: juvenile delinquency
contributing to the delinquency of a minor
2
: a debt on which payment is overdue
consumer loan delinquencies
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