delinquency

noun

de·​lin·​quen·​cy di-ˈliŋ-kwən-sē How to pronounce delinquency (audio)
-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 Consumers’ credit card debt has been on the rise due to the lingering impact of the bout of inflation that hit the U.S. economy starting in 2021 and delinquencies have been rising. Lindsey Leake, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2024 At first blush, Exeter’s portfolio looks dire: A majority of its loans — more than 200,000 — are at least three payments behind schedule — a degree of delinquency that is roughly twice that of any other subprime lender in the data. Ryan Gabrielson, ProPublica, 12 Sep. 2024 The current debt delinquency rate is at 2.74%, the highest in nearly 12 years though still slightly below the long-term average of around 3% in Fed data going back to 1987. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2024 Consumers who have topped out their credit cards over the last two years are more likely to fall into delinquency, Bankrate found. Anne Marie Lee, CBS News, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for delinquency 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'delinquency.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of delinquency was in 1625

Dictionary Entries Near delinquency

Cite this Entry

“Delinquency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delinquency. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

delinquency

noun
de·​lin·​quen·​cy di-ˈliŋ-kwən-sē, -ˈlin- How to pronounce delinquency (audio)
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 How to pronounce delinquency (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on delinquency

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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