1
as in neglectful
failing to give proper care and attention
the guards were judged derelict in their duty
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disused
left unoccupied or unused
purchased an old derelict mansion that was rumored to be haunted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in bum
an idle worthless person
a section of the city that seemed to be frequented mostly by derelicts
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of derelict
Tom Tapp, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2025
Ford committed nearly $1 billion to restore the derelict Michigan Central Station into a gleaming new tech hub.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Kurek came to New York from Poland in the early aughts and met Gregory Pasternak, also a Polish immigrant, who had a business buying cheap, derelict buildings across North Brooklyn, fixing them up, renting them out, and then moving on.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 10 Sep. 2025
Tens of millions of lives have been upended from derelict disaster response, power outages, inhumane commute times, and the housing shortage.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derelict
Adjective
Here’s the logline: Upon discovering millions in cash in a derelict stash house, trust among a team of Miami cops begins to fray.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2025
Ford committed nearly $1 billion to restore the derelict Michigan Central Station into a gleaming new tech hub.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Kurek came to New York from Poland in the early aughts and met Gregory Pasternak, also a Polish immigrant, who had a business buying cheap, derelict buildings across North Brooklyn, fixing them up, renting them out, and then moving on.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 10 Sep. 2025
Tens of millions of lives have been upended from derelict disaster response, power outages, inhumane commute times, and the housing shortage.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derelict
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derelict
Adjective
-
One of the tale’s bitterest ironies is that Victor will become a more demanding, more neglectful, and vastly more destructive father figure than Leopold ever was.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
28 Oct. 2025
-
After sharing his story online, commenters expressed sympathy for the boy’s situation, calling his father’s behavior selfish and neglectful.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Then over time, a few enterprising communities and entrepreneurs looked for ways to turn disused asylums into something productive, Rondinone said, something that could bring jobs and revenue back once again.—
Jen Rose Smith,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The piece is a collection of disused shoemaker boxes, once used by cobblers to keep tools, pressed against each other and stacked up, clambering toward the ceiling.—
Edna Bonhomme,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
And the oversized top has a split hem that falls below the bum.—
Melody Kazel,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Three or four decades ago, the newspaperman was appealingly raffish—at once a bum who drank too much and a knight-errant who charged unafraid at social injustice, succored the weak, and crossed lances with the powerful and arrogant.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Jenkins’ fumble was due to careless ball-handling, although two members of his offensive line got bull-rushed, leading to the pressure.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
-
One person was cited for careless driving after a fiery crash between two semitrucks closed Interstate 70 in Aurora for several hours Friday morning.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Vargas nodded at the nearly deserted river.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The streets below looked deserted.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In Havana, beggars are ubiquitous.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Brando, the owner of an atoll in Tahiti, where his family dwelled, had become the beggar of Hollywood, who had to feed on crumbs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The kids will love all the ways to make a splash here, which include waterslides, a lazy river, and Orlando’s only wave pool.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
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The decor is bright and inviting, the heated pool is perfect for a lazy afternoon, and patios offer quiet spots to sip coffee or a local wine.—
Maggie Downs,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Thousands of abandoned and derelict vessels around the US pose environmental and navigational challenges.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
-
The 33 towns being considered for this project, which are expected to meet final approval in the coming weeks, are all on the brink of extinction with the number of empty and abandoned houses outnumbering those that are inhabited.—
Barbie Latza Nadeau,
CNN,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derelict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derelict. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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