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
Borrower delinquencies started appearing on credit reports in 2025, leading to sudden drops in credit scores.
—
Rachel Hale, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
The behavior of consumer spending and debt delinquencies reinforce this reading.
—Robert Barone, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
That’s because mortgages on primary residences typically have lower delinquency rates than mortgages for other property purchases.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Rising delinquencies and economic uncertainty are impacting lenders' decisions, Tavares said.
—Stephanie Dhue,sharon Epperson, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delinquency
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Rachel Hale, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
The behavior of consumer spending and debt delinquencies reinforce this reading.
—Robert Barone, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
That’s because mortgages on primary residences typically have lower delinquency rates than mortgages for other property purchases.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Rising delinquencies and economic uncertainty are impacting lenders' decisions, Tavares said.
—Stephanie Dhue,sharon Epperson, CNBC, 28 Aug. 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 9 Sep. 2025.
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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