delinquency

noun de·lin·quen·cy \ di-ˈliŋ-kwən-sē , -ˈlin- \

Updated on: 25 May 2018

Definition of delinquency

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

See delinquency defined for English-language learners

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 of delinquency from the Web

Collections hovered around 88 percent, with $73 million in delinquencies.

— robert higgs, cleveland.com, "Cleveland water system trails the Midwest in J.D. Power customer satisfaction study," 15 May 2018
Williams also has faces a count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

— ben brasch, ajc, "Cops: Cobb teens Snapchat their killing of mother possum and 4 babies," 14 May 2018
That’s a positive sign for consumer spending but could spell trouble down the road, with delinquencies edging up, especially for lower-income Americans.

— paul davidson, USA TODAY, "Will inflation heat up or warm slowly? April reports highlight the week's economic news," 7 May 2018
During the financial crisis that began a decade ago, the credit union was hit with a rise in delinquencies, and some of its grant funding was lost.

— nathan dicamillo, New York Times, "The Little Bank That Could," 13 Apr. 2018
About 11 percent of all student loans were in serious delinquency of at least 90 days or in default as of the fourth quarter, New York Fed data show.

— bloomberg news, NOLA.com, "Student debt a harsh math lesson for US graduates as wages lag," 28 Mar. 2018
South Florida’s uptick in early-stage mortgage delinquencies, defined as 30-59 days past due, belies the national trend.

— rene rodriguez, miamiherald, "Mortgage delinquencies are down across the U.S. — but up in South Florida. Here’s why.," 10 Jan. 2018
The 44-year-old woman, from Valparaiso, is charged with recklessly permitting a minor in a tavern; furnishing alcohol to a minor; and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

— amy lavalley, Post-Tribune, "Police: Kouts bar owner charged with serving teens," 9 May 2018
Streater was jailed on charges of misdemeanor child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

— ken lemon, ajc, "Police find children 4, 5, and 7 drunk outside home, mother arrested," 2 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'delinquency.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of delinquency

1625

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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delinquency Synonyms

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

DELINQUENCY Defined for English Language Learners

delinquency

noun

Definition of delinquency for English Language Learners

: crimes or other morally wrong acts : illegal or immoral behavior especially by young people
: the condition of someone who owes money and is not making payments at the required or expected time