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
Elizabeth Cantrell, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 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
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
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
In the mid 2000s, Gates was working as an arts administrator at the University of Chicago, while also buying derelict buildings on the city’s South Side and turning them into artists’ studios or repositories for his collections of books, records, and photographic slides.
—Elizabeth Cantrell, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 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
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
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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Director Kim Jee-woon uses every trick in the haunted-house book when spinning the tale of two vulnerable sisters, their neglectful father, and their evil stepmother, all of whom are trapped together in a shabby (but beautifully filmed) old country house.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
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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
Adjective
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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
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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
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The level of luxury she’s introduced with Barracuda is a stark contrast to the humbler quarters generally associated with backpackers and itinerant surf bums, which still make up the majority of Itacaré’s lodging options.—
David Amsden,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
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And the oversized top has a split hem that falls below the bum.—
Melody Kazel,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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He was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital and was later issued a summons for no insurance, careless driving and leaving the scene of an accident, officials said.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
-
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
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
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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
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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 8 Nov. 2025.
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