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
-
While not every nursing home fosters a neglectful or abusive environment, these conditions can thrive at facilities that are understaffed.—
Sponsored Content,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
-
To do otherwise is neglectful and selfish.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Mike Braun opened the Speedway Slammer at an Indiana prison, Jim Pillen opened the Cornhusker Clink at a Nebraska work camp, and Jeff Landry opened the Louisiana Lockup in a disused wing of Angola penitentiary.—
Eric Schlosser,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
-
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
Noun
-
For those caught unaware, the flies will also happily lay eggs in convenient openings such as the nose, mouth, ears, eyes, and even the bum, if available.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
9 June 2026
-
The Kings will inevitably be criticized for making a series of bad decisions and bum deals while Fox, Barnes and Brown grace the game’s grandest stage a year after being cast off under questionable circumstances.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Anyone old enough to vote is old enough to remember that California hasn’t always been so careless with its elections.—
Susan Shelley,
Oc Register,
17 June 2026
-
That charming and shaggy approach is fitting for such a campy and irreverent comedy, ultimately substituting polish for an equal mixture of artistic grit and careless joy.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
There are luxurious high-rise towers overlooking the Mekong River, where entire floors are now deserted following police raids that cleared out the illicit operations hidden there.—
Shibani Mahtani,
NPR,
21 June 2026
-
Some areas would remain deserted for over a decade, because of the risk of radiation poisoning.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
But Richmond’s James River stretch also offers calm stretches of flat water near the city center that are ideal for a lazy river tube run.—
Terry Ward,
Travel + Leisure,
17 June 2026
-
Then the release, the arrival, the return to self, and a lazy, funny sort of shyness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
According to the gallery, the 25-minute film is set in a semi-abandoned hotel near Tokyo and reimagines the Greek myth of the goddess Persephone’s abduction by Hades.—
Leigh Anne Miller,
ARTnews.com,
16 June 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Derelict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derelict. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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