derelict

American  

[der-uh-likt] / ˈdɛr ə lɪkt /

adjective

1. left or deserted, as by the owner or guardian; abandoned.

   a derelict ship.

2. neglectful of duty; delinquent; negligent.

   Synonyms:

   heedless, careless, remiss

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noun

• derelicts
  plural

1. a person abandoned by society, especially a person without a permanent home and means of support; vagrant; bum.

2. Nautical. a vessel abandoned in open water by its crew without any hope or intention of returning.

3. personal property abandoned or thrown away by the owner.

4. one guilty of neglect of duty.

5. Law. land left dry by a change of the water line.

derelict British  

/ ˈdɛrɪlɪkt /

adjective

1. deserted or abandoned, as by an owner, occupant, etc

2. falling into ruins; neglected; dilapidated

3. neglectful of duty or obligation; remiss

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noun

1. a person abandoned or neglected by society; a social outcast or vagrant

2. property deserted or abandoned by an owner, occupant, etc

3. a vessel abandoned at sea

4. a person who is neglectful of duty or obligation

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• derelictness
  noun
• nonderelict
  adjective
• derelictly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• derelicts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of derelict

First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin dērelictus “forsaken” (past participle of dērelinquere ), equivalent to dē- “from, away from” + relictus, past participle of relinquere “to leave, abandon”; see de-, relinquish

Explanation

If something has been abandoned, you can call it derelict. Even if a person has abandoned his responsibilities, you can say that he is derelict in his duties. But don't call a lost child derelict — unless, of course, he has neglected his chores. As an adjective, derelict describes something that is rundown, neglected, or in deplorable condition, but the word can also mean "negligent in duty." The politician was so busy using his office for personal gain that he was derelict in his duty to the people who voted for him; he hadn't been present at a vote in months. As a noun, a derelict means a homeless person.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

derelict derelicts

Many of her neighbours accepted it and moved out, leaving her "stuck in a lovely house in a derelict street".

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

The scheme looks to reward the best parks in the country - the first Green Flags were awarded in 1997 after many historic city centre parks were left neglected and derelict for decades.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

Fain removed much of Boyer’s responsibilities in 2024, saying Boyer had been derelict in his job.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

"Foreign plastic derelict fishing gear is the largest contributor of Hawaii's marine debris problem," shares Lynch.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 28, 2026

Halfway through, three derelict men in suits also come out, one banging on top of a bin, the other playing violin, and the last also playing harmonica.

From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak

A host of bidders will compete for the drowned derelicts — some of whom may have less than honest intentions for the reselling of the rides.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 20, 2023

It prioritizes derelicts that interfere with navigation, which this boat does not do.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 24, 2017

In the movies, homeless people—or street people, or derelicts, or bums—sometimes get to play the lead in egalitarian-redemptive comedies like My Man Godfrey, Trading Places, Down and Out in Beverly Hills.

From Slate ● Aug. 9, 2017

Who needs to see the melting pot of humanity that converges on the clear waters of Bora Bora when you can meet the derelicts who peddle $125 badges for $2,000?

From Golf Digest ● Mar. 13, 2017

Nobody except beggars, derelicts and the police-custody dead were cremated there.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

Related Words

• desolate
• dilapidated
• dingy
• neglected
• ruined
• run down
• seedy
• shabby