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

Beca is a surly delinquent of questionable judgment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

I walk a frozen Bothnian Gulf at Nallikari, an obscured lighthouse, a delinquent lifeguard stand, and makeshift saunas stand on white expanse like archaeology.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

A state tax tribunal ruled that the Pung estate was entitled to the exemption, but the local assessor appealed and reported the property as delinquent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

That freeze ended up lasting more than three years, with an additional year of “on-ramping” in which late payments didn’t count as delinquent or impact credit scores.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

I can’t get past the feeling that this is just some juvenile delinquent trying to freak everybody out.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

Related Words

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