1
as in abandonment
the act of abandoning
the dereliction by the owners of a once flourishing orchard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in negligence
failure to take the care that a cautious person usually takes
the ski area was not held responsible for the injury on account of the skier's own manifest dereliction
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in neglect
the nonperformance of an assigned or expected action
both sentries were to be court-martialed for dereliction of duty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in weakness
a defect in character
believes that society is guilty of a moral dereliction if it does not care for those unable to care for themselves
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dereliction
There are consequences for dereliction of duty.
—
Saul Elbein, The Hill, 4 Aug. 2025
The Taylor family arrived at their cabin to find it in a state of dereliction.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
One verdict is already declared in the Karen Read murder case: The Massachusetts State Police are guilty in the first degree of dereliction of duty.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 17 June 2025
What with weakened teams and consistently pathetic performances, their league form on both their parts has been pathetic enough to be termed a dereliction of duty.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dereliction
Saul Elbein, The Hill, 4 Aug. 2025
The Taylor family arrived at their cabin to find it in a state of dereliction.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
One verdict is already declared in the Karen Read murder case: The Massachusetts State Police are guilty in the first degree of dereliction of duty.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 17 June 2025
What with weakened teams and consistently pathetic performances, their league form on both their parts has been pathetic enough to be termed a dereliction of duty.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dereliction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dereliction
Noun
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Advertisement Mamdani’s vision of an equitable, affordable urbanity emerges as a challenge to this long history of abandonment and exclusion.—
Fahad Zuberi,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Cue, Helm’s first rejection, abandonment, difficult emotions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Whether the courts view that rift as administrative failure or unlawful negligence may determine the financial futures of a generation of borrowers—and the credibility of the agency that lent to them.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Zwerner has filed a $40 million negligence lawsuit against former Richneck Elementary Assistant Principal Ebony Parker.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Parker will appear in criminal court The civil verdict against Parker — who faces eight counts of felony child neglect in a criminal trial next month — provides a window into key evidence and arguments that will likely resurface when Parker appears in criminal court.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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In a separate legal matter, Parker is facing criminal charges of felony child abuse and neglect for her alleged indifference.—
Gary Grumbach,
NBC news,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Ancelotti and Zidane certainly had their own tactical ideas, but were also pragmatic and based game plans primarily on the characteristics (strengths and weaknesses) of the squad made available to them.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The Dodgers' bullpen is one of their weaknesses, meaning the team is asking a lot from starters.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Putin said Ukraine’s armed forces had a grave lack of manpower and desertions, while Russia had enough soldiers.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
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Mobilization has stalled, with brigades undermanned, and desertion in the ranks is a mounting problem.—
Joshua Yaffa,
New Yorker,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The tragic death of the Sepulveda family patriarch calls his descendants back to Villa Sepulveda, a Spanish colonial manor in a coconut plantation; but a landslide traps the guests inside, transforming the funeral plans into a supernatural reckoning of sins.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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Once, there were two sweet kids who came of age in the evangelical purity culture of the 1990’s, a world in which being LGBTQ+ or accepting anyone who was gay was seen as a sin that could send you straight to hell.—
Kelly Foster Lundquist,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, when asked who is to blame, 58% of those surveyed said both Disney and Google are equally at fault, while 37% point the finger at Disney and 5% blame Google.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
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Some of them have not been his fault.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Everyday absurdities, moral failings and big-city tension carry a pointed social sting.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
29 Oct. 2025
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There were festering family vendettas; botched forensics; staggering police failings.—
Heidi Blake,
New Yorker,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dereliction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dereliction. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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