DELINQUENCIES Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

delinquency

noun

di-ˈliŋ-kwən-sē

Definition of delinquency

as in negligence

the nonperformance of an assigned or expected action we received a notice in the mail informing us of our delinquency in paying our utility bill

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lateness

the quality or state of being late delinquency of our mortgage payment meant that we would have to pay a surcharge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of delinquency The department also charged 10 parents with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. — Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2026 About one in 20 car loans made to young people are in serious delinquency. — Darian Woods, NPR, 13 July 2026 For example, New York Fed data show that the transition into serious delinquency for student loans among borrowers aged 50 and older was roughly 15% of balances in the first quarter of 2026, based on a four-quarter moving sum. — True Tamplin, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 With a rising share of new homebuyers overextending their budgets or accepting high mortgage rates just to close on a home, delinquencies are rising. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for delinquency

Recent Examples of Synonyms for delinquency

Noun

Federal law enforcement agencies are generally shielded from legal liability, but there are some exceptions, including some claims of employee negligence.

— CYBELE MAYES-OSTERMAN, ABC News, 21 July 2026
Floridians harmed by government negligence deserve fair compensation, and the claims process exists to provide it.

— Eric "Doc" Stelnicki, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2026

Definition of negligence

Noun

In 2024, military and overseas ballots were rejected for lateness at more than eight times the rate of domestic mail ballots, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.

— Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 17 June 2026
This extreme lateness is really unnecessary and New York State should join 46 of its siblings and use the standard July 1 date (Texas, Alabama, Michigan have autumn dates).

— New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026

Definition of lateness

Noun

Holmes has served as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), or someone appointed by a judge to act in the best interest of children who’ve experienced abuse or neglect.

— Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
With economic upheaval came neglect, and the once-glamorous sanatoriums and baths fell into disrepair.

— Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026

Definition of neglect

Noun

Their tardiness, which saw the start delayed by half an hour, was continued on the field with India looking like a rabble in the face of the onslaught from Buttler and Brook.

— Paul Newman, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Target's new attendance point system Target will start tracking unexcused tardiness and absences for its store and warehouse workers in September, assigning point values to violations and terminating any employee who hits 12 points within a year.

— Diane Brady, Fortune, 30 June 2026

Definition of tardiness

Noun

This one features 10 heat settings, 12 timer settings and a default eight-hour shutoff function.

— BestReviews, Mercury News, 30 July 2026
Flock’s default setting is to retain data from its cameras for 30 days, though local police departments can shorten or extend that time based on state and local rules.

— T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 30 July 2026

Definition of default

Noun

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that there would be an emergency road closure at the inbound Lawrence Avenue exit on the Kennedy (Interstate 90), citing the early morning concrete retention wall failure as the reason.

— Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026
These failures stemmed not from new vulnerabilities, but from basic security flaws like weak passwords and unauthenticated endpoints, and reliance on assumptions over robust controls.

— Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of failure

Noun

Biological labs working with deadly pathogens, finance companies trading billions of dollars, and chemical plants handling toxic chemicals all face oversight of their internal operations, not just their external products.

— Jim Edwards, Fortune, 29 July 2026
All the horticulture products Disney’s crews use meet state regulatory requirements and are subject to safety evaluations and oversight.

— WUFT News, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026

Definition of oversight

Browse Nearby Words

delineations

delinquency

delinquent

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Delinquency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delinquency. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of delinquency

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on delinquency

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

highfalutin

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes