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

delinquents plural

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• delinquents
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

delinquent delinquents

The library’s original borrowing records have been lost, however, leaving the identity of the delinquent reader — and the reason the book was sealed inside a fireplace — a mystery.

From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026

Disclosures are due within 30 days of becoming a candidate or by May 15, whichever is later, and must be done annually, making Haynes delinquent.

From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026

Hochman said the comic paid his taxes before 2019 and that the California Franchise Tax Board sent more than 70 demand notices regarding his delinquent tax returns.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026

“So some consumers that go delinquent aren’t curing in the typical way.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026

And maybe worried, like she might have invited some kind of a delinquent onto the boat.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described those carrying out settler attacks as a handful of misguided young people: "150 juvenile delinquents", he's called them, or "70 teenagers from broken homes".

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

The RF also affords some measure of security against top-slashing thieves and delinquents.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 2026

Opened in 1873, the privately operated detention facility housed petty delinquents and orphans, said Marc Schindler, a professor at Georgetown who leads the project.

From Barron's ● Feb. 27, 2026

During Easter week, the pope chose to perform the traditional washing of others’ feet in a facility for juvenile delinquents.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2025

Reform, not punishment, is her modus operandi, and Celia has succeeded in converting many young delinquents into productive revolutionaries.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García

Related Words

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