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
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
Urban-centric, green-thinking locals are reinvigorating once derelict industrial neighborhoods, while outdoorsy transplants are moving in to take advantage of the city’s enviable position minutes from the mountains.
—Jeremy Pugh, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for derelict
Adjective
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
Urban-centric, green-thinking locals are reinvigorating once derelict industrial neighborhoods, while outdoorsy transplants are moving in to take advantage of the city’s enviable position minutes from the mountains.
—Jeremy Pugh, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for derelict
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derelict
Adjective
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Characteristics of Free-Range Parenting Skenanzy is clear that free-range parenting isn’t about neglectful parenting.—
Amy Morin,
Parents,
5 Mar. 2026
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Sam, meanwhile, feels that his dad is both overbearing and neglectful of his music dreams, and tensions run high between them.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Under former Mayor Eric Kellogg, the city lost millions on a scheme to rehabilitate a disused hotel.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
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Understanding that Mandela’s liberation meant that white-minority rule was coming to an end, the founders trekked into the desert, bought a disused mining town wholesale, and established a colony.—
Eve Fairbanks,
The Dial,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Trying to warm up your bum from the cold was said to produce heavier periods.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Mar. 2026
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For ski bums looking to hit the Colorado slopes without slogging through I-70 traffic, there’s no better destination than Winter Park.—
Sarah Cahalan,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This careless exploitation of the heavens above is a real danger to us all.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
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The Scott County Attorney said the man behind the wheel received a $100 citation for careless driving.—
Ashley Grams,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In Send Help, now in theaters, Linda (Rachel McAdams) and her overbearing boss Bradley (Dylan O’Brien) survive a plane crash and become stranded on a deserted island, where their past office grievances become a violent fight for survival.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
8 Mar. 2026
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The film is an adaptation of the ghost novel of the same name, which follows a married couple who travel to Europe to adopt a baby and stay in a deserted hotel filled with eccentric characters.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Hollywood turned him into a beggar.—
Lili Anolik,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
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In the old days beggars were drawn and quartered in that square.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This is where lazy Jordan comes in.—
Kailyn Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Esteemed writers fall back on lazy analogies and text like drunk high schoolers.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 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 14 Mar. 2026.
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