1
as in neglectful
failing to give proper care and attention
the guards were judged derelict in their duty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2025
The owners of derelict or neglected commercial buildings are now subject to the same fines as negligent residential property owners.
—Karri Peifer, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025
The crime thriller sees a team of Miami cops discovering millions in cash in a derelict stash house.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
Trump argued that the Biden administration was derelict in its duty regarding disaster relief and seized on a scandal involving the apparent politicization of government resources involving a Florida official.
—Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for derelict
Adjective
In a city that hit its 175th birthday in February, there are many derelict or underutilized buildings, particularly on the grid.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2025
The owners of derelict or neglected commercial buildings are now subject to the same fines as negligent residential property owners.
—Karri Peifer, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025
The crime thriller sees a team of Miami cops discovering millions in cash in a derelict stash house.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
Trump argued that the Biden administration was derelict in its duty regarding disaster relief and seized on a scandal involving the apparent politicization of government resources involving a Florida official.
—Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for derelict
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derelict
Adjective
-
As the story goes, biased or uninformed teachers call a child protection hotline, and out-of-touch caseworkers deem the parents neglectful and remove their children.—
Emily Putnam-Hornstein and Naomi Schaefer Riley,
Twin Cities,
13 Apr. 2025
-
In one, which aired in September, 1949, the Goldbergs get a new, neglectful landlord.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
One of the most powerful scenes in Sugarcane takes place in a disused barn where, over a period of decades, Indigenous children worked under the lash.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
8 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
This was all done with a bum wrist, which posed as an inconvenience to him at times.—
Hannah Kirby,
Journal Sentinel,
4 Aug. 2024
-
Tommy, left to prosecute the case against Rusty, has inherited a bum gig.—
Vinson Cunningham,
The New Yorker,
26 July 2024
Adjective
-
The problem isn’t that general providers are careless, but that their systems and staff simply aren’t built for these edge cases.—
Ari Raptis,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
-
When businesses are careless and people get hurt, those businesses should be held accountable.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
The beggars, widows, and families with sick relatives who once made a pilgrimage to the gates of the parliament building in the Green Zone to beg lawmakers for help are now barred from entry.—
Ned Parker,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Feb. 2012
-
All the beggars at the intersection of Lee Road and the off-ramp of I-4 are completely out of hand.—
Ticked Off,
Orlando Sentinel,
18 July 2024
Adjective
-
By the end of the summer, there will be another pool with a zero-entry layout, lazy river, and seven private cabanas.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
11 July 2025
-
And perhaps that is lazy script writing from the football gods.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
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
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The team had a group task to accomplish, yes, but at every checkpoint, people had to make the decision to be selfish or selfless, and the selfish ones got rewarded while the selfless were left abandoned and miserable on the loch.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Extra hooks allow the bag to transform into a trapezoidal hobo shape.—
Joelle Diderich,
WWD,
19 Sep. 2024
-
There’s a lot to love about Coach’s viral shoulder bag: the modern hobo style, the soft leather, the distinct shape.—
Lindy Segal,
Glamour,
13 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Derelict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derelict. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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