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
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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True Crime, which will help readers understand her rise from a traumatic, neglectful childhood to become an award-winning police reporter and forensic expert and eventual author.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Many of the animals were found living in neglectful and abusive conditions, officials said.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
18 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The Barnham site lies in a disused clay pit in Suffolk, UK, preserving traces of the period around 427,000 to 415,000 years ago.—
Jay Kakade
December 30,
New Atlas,
30 Dec. 2025
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Colonial Pipeline said its network had been accessed via a compromised password that was linked to a disused virtual private networking account used for remote access.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Aspen, Colorado In 1989, when a five-star, ski-in, ski-out hotel called the Little Nell opened on the site of a ski-bum bar, Aspen left its counterculture hippie days in the dust and transitioned to an A-list playground.—
Amy Tara Koch,
Robb Report,
29 Jan. 2026
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The adventurous actress dirties up her frock and face to play the village pariah, who reeks of fish and would be no man’s idea of a suitable wife, except perhaps the one-eyed bum who sleeps in the town square.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Prevent damage by avoiding sodium ice melt, careless plowing, and watering dormant grass.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
28 Jan. 2026
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Among the violations for which troopers most frequently issued citations in 2025 were careless driving, operating a motorcycle without a license endorsement, and speeding 10 mph to 29 mph over the limit.—
Bruce Finley,
Denver Post,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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Mahahual Tucked along the Costa Maya in the south, Mahahual is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fishing village with quiet, often deserted beaches that invite long, barefoot walks in the sand.—
Gemma Price,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In the old days beggars were drawn and quartered in that square.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
-
In Havana, beggars are ubiquitous.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This dreamy weather makes December through April the best time for spending lazy hours on some of Jamaica's best beaches.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Jan. 2026
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There are lazy ways to do this, and there are more robust ways to do so.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The abandoned Westminster Mall has turned into a hotspot for vandalism since shuttering in late 2025, according to police who are attempting to raise awareness about the issue.—
Lesley Marin,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
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Rogers is shopworker Polly Parrish, who gets mistakenly identified as the parent of an abandoned baby.—
Gwen Ihnat,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derelict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derelict. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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