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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of derelict
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025
Just a few more blocks away is the derelict CVS that has become a lightning rod of neighborhood fury, a monument to gross neglect.
—Wes Burdine, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
An old and derelict residential hotel in Detroit that was immortalized in a song by The White Stripes has been shut down by the city.
—Jc Reindl, Freep.com, 22 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
That is the question echoing through a derelict Soviet-era retirement home in Armenia, where a group of residents rehearse for an original play that may even dazzle William Shakespeare.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025
Just a few more blocks away is the derelict CVS that has become a lightning rod of neighborhood fury, a monument to gross neglect.
—Wes Burdine, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
An old and derelict residential hotel in Detroit that was immortalized in a song by The White Stripes has been shut down by the city.
—Jc Reindl, Freep.com, 22 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
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To do otherwise is neglectful and selfish.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
-
Above a certain socioeconomic threshold, not spending an extra $1,000 a year or more in the hopes of doing so could seem neglectful.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
Adjective
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For months, the fighters had been quietly clearing a disused water tunnel just over 2 miles long, deep behind enemy lines in the countryside around Aleppo.—
Emily Feng,
NPR,
17 May 2026
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It is already known that it will be located on the grounds of a disused former nursery and will include a large pond with a pergola.—
Valentine Ulgu-Servant,
Vanity Fair,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Kentucky, vote the bum out on Tuesday.—
Quinn Scanlan,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
-
A lot of these babies have bum agents that lowball them.—
Zak Cheney-Rice,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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Isaiah Duncan-Simmons, 19, from Virginia Beach was booked and charged with disorderly conduct and careless damage of property by fire.—
Kelsie Cairns,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
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Companies aren't careless—cleaning up massive repositories is genuinely painful work.—
Philip Brittan,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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In fact the highlight, coming near the conclusion is simply a spectacular car/horse/alien run for the roses down a deserted highway with Sung-Ki riding the horse next to the car, followed by another alien who could give a Kenyan a run for his money in the NY Marathon.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
17 May 2026
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Single’s Inferno in particular showcases a cast of women and men mostly in their early twenties on a deserted island, their poreless skin glowing as a breeze blows through their windswept hair.—
Sarah Wang,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
Noun
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Gobert was chief among the beggars imploring his teammates for a shred of consistency on that end of the floor.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
27 Apr. 2026
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Antinous later shocked the other suitors by insulting and assaulting with a footstool an elderly beggar who had spoken to him in the palace hall.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Basically, the lazy person’s way to a six pack.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 May 2026
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What’s more, over the next few months, the ChatGPT users got lazier with each essay, ultimately resorting to copy-and-paste by the end of the study.—
Aytekin Tank,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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Born on May 13, 1958, in California, Sheets appeared on 163 episodes of Storage Wars between 2010 and 2023, vying with other buyers of abandoned and unopened storage lockers being auctioned.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
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The city has been overwhelmed in recent years by an influx of abandoned and stray dogs and puppies.—
Alyce McFadden,
San Francisco Chronicle,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derelict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derelict. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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