delinquent

American  

[dih-ling-kwuhnt] / dɪˈlɪŋ kwənt /

adjective

1. failing in or neglectful of a duty or obligation; guilty of a misdeed or offense.

2. (of an account, tax, debt, etc.) past due; overdue.

3. of or relating to delinquents or delinquency.

   delinquent attitudes.

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noun

1. a person who is delinquent.

2. juvenile delinquent.

delinquent British  

/ dɪˈlɪŋkwənt /

noun

1. someone, esp a young person, guilty of delinquency See juvenile delinquent

2. archaic a person who fails in an obligation or duty

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adjective

1. guilty of an offence or misdeed, esp one of a minor nature

2. failing in or neglectful of duty or obligation

Other Word Forms

• delinquently adverb
• nondelinquent adjective
• predelinquent adjective
• predelinquently adverb
• undelinquent adjective
• undelinquently adverb

Etymology

Origin of delinquent

1475–85; < Latin dēlinquent-; delinquency

Example Sentences

“We have to work for these delinquents. And no one in the government helps us.”

From Los Angeles Times

Those mortgages, even if they weren’t delinquent, became worth a fraction of their original value, causing associations’ capital to vanish almost overnight.

From The Wall Street Journal

This includes letting delinquent borrowers extend their loan terms to 40 years and reduce monthly payments by 25%.

From The Wall Street Journal

Car loans delinquent by at least 60 days rose 2.2% month over month in September, according to a Cox Automotive report.

From MarketWatch

But so far, they haven’t reported any alarming rises in delinquent loans, another key metric.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• felon
• hoodlum
• juvenile delinquent
• lawbreaker
• offender
• wrongdoer