delinquent
Americanadjective
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failing in or neglectful of a duty or obligation; guilty of a misdeed or offense.
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(of an account, tax, debt, etc.) past due; overdue.
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of or relating to delinquents or delinquency.
delinquent attitudes.
noun
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a person who is delinquent.
noun
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someone, esp a young person, guilty of delinquency See juvenile delinquent
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archaic a person who fails in an obligation or duty
adjective
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guilty of an offence or misdeed, esp one of a minor nature
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failing in or neglectful of duty or obligation
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of delinquent
1475–85; < Latin dēlinquent-; see delinquency
Explanation
The adjective delinquent describes something that is past due or people who are negligent in doing their duty. If you are delinquent in paying your delinquent library fines, you won't be able to check out any more books. You may have heard the term juvenile delinquent, which refers to a young (juvenile) person who gets in trouble, often with the law, but people of any age can be delinquent. A delinquent landlord is one who doesn't make repairs. A delinquent tenant is one who does not pay his rent.
Vocabulary lists containing delinquent
The Outsiders
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The Watsons Go to Birmingham
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Delinquent debt refers to financial obligations — such as loans or credit card payments — that have been delayed past their due dates, which may in turn affect credit scores.
From Salon • Feb. 13, 2025
Delinquent accounts fell because of federal stimulus programs as well as voluntary forbearance offered by banks to struggling borrowers.
From New York Times • Oct. 29, 2021
Delinquent owners face a fine of $100 a day, which can eventually rise to $1,000 for repeat offenders.
From Reuters • Jan. 8, 2014
Returning to London from New York, she went straight into another lightweight piece, Dear Delinquent.
From The Guardian • Jul. 4, 2011
The King "did not know how a King might be a delinquent by any law he ever heard of;" but any Delinquent might put in a demurrer.
From The Life of John Milton Volume 3 1643-1649 by Masson, David
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
