1
as in neglectful
failing to give proper care and attention
the guards were judged derelict in their duty
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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
Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Same thing should happen for the derelict Democrats.
—Mandy Taheri
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
In the film, the crew of the Nostromo investigates a distress call from a derelict spaceship on moon LV-426 and encounters the deadly Xenomorph.
—Maddie Garfinkle, People.com, 12 Aug. 2025
The derelict Democrat House members must return to Texas and be in attendance when the House reconvenes at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 4, 2025.
—Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derelict
Adjective
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
Same thing should happen for the derelict Democrats.
—Mandy Taheri
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
In the film, the crew of the Nostromo investigates a distress call from a derelict spaceship on moon LV-426 and encounters the deadly Xenomorph.
—Maddie Garfinkle, People.com, 12 Aug. 2025
The derelict Democrat House members must return to Texas and be in attendance when the House reconvenes at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 4, 2025.
—Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derelict
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derelict
Adjective
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Leaning into the disco-country of much of Man’s Best Friend, Carpenter sings about a neglectful lover.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Parents, even the well-meaning ones, tend to be neglectful, or also dead.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This edition’s commissions have taken over some of the town’s most striking and unusual locations, including a church built for the fishing community, a former customs house, a Martello Tower and a disused railway bridge.—
Joanne Shurvell,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
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On his release, Stern went on to spend the 1950s ping-ponging between New York and California, for a time living on a disused laundry barge in Sausalito.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Celebratory backslaps, encouraging bum-pats and the fall of opposition wickets celebrated en masse are often an indication of a team’s togetherness.—
James Wallace,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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With both travel and programming budgets under pressure, all markets have to make a strong case to get buyer and seller bums on seats (or, more accurately, into screening booths and meeting rooms).—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Protecting Users From Themselves No matter how sophisticated network defenses are, a careless action can undo them.—
Max Silber,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The programmer seems to have been a little careless.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Days are spent fishing, snorkeling, and picnicking on deserted Indian Ocean islands, while nights are spent sleeping under the stars.—
Ian Proctor,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Sep. 2025
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Co-starring Rachel McAdams, the tonal mashup chronicles two incompatible work colleagues who crash land on a deserted island and have to find a way to work together for the sake of survival.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Got a lot of mountains to climb, had to leave some beggars behind.—
Ilana Kaplan,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
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Indeed, the beauty of New Orleans proper was found in its colorful variety of humans—the loons and cons, the beggars and peddlers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Forest walks, lazy lake days, midday swims, and evening bonfires are a part of your regular day.—
Miles Walls,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Sep. 2025
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Camels seem slow, hippos clumsy, phoenixes unstable, lions lazy.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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 14 Sep. 2025.
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