dereliction
noun
der·e·lic·tion
ˌder-ə-ˈlik-shən 
ˌde-rə-
1
a
: an intentional abandonment
b
: the state of being abandoned
2
: a recession of water leaving permanently dry land
3
a
: intentional or conscious neglect : delinquency
dereliction of duty
b
: fault, shortcoming
Examples of dereliction in a Sentence
the dereliction of a cause by its leaders
The officer was formally charged with dereliction of duty.
a serious dereliction of duty
Recent Examples on the Web
The rumour is that Conan Doyle based the character of Moriarty on George Boole, Professor of Maths at University College Cork from 1849 until 1864 (disappointingly his former home on Grenville Place is in a state of dereliction).
—
Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Two very different nonprofits established to take advantage of that dereliction still thrive a half-century later: the Dia Art Foundation and Creative Time.
—The Editors, Curbed, 2 Dec. 2024
In May, days before the second anniversary of the massacre, the victims' families filed a lawsuit against the DPS and 92 troopers who responded to the mass shooting, calling the response a dereliction of duty for not employing proper active shooter response training techniques.
—Hogan Gore, Austin American-Statesman, 15 July 2024
In August 2023, DeSantis issued an executive order for her removal, accusing her of negligence and dereliction of duty.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dereliction 
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Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Two very different nonprofits established to take advantage of that dereliction still thrive a half-century later: the Dia Art Foundation and Creative Time.
—The Editors, Curbed, 2 Dec. 2024
In May, days before the second anniversary of the massacre, the victims' families filed a lawsuit against the DPS and 92 troopers who responded to the mass shooting, calling the response a dereliction of duty for not employing proper active shooter response training techniques.
—Hogan Gore, Austin American-Statesman, 15 July 2024
In August 2023, DeSantis issued an executive order for her removal, accusing her of negligence and dereliction of duty.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dereliction
Dictionary Entries Near dereliction
Cite this Entry
“Dereliction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dereliction. Accessed 16 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dereliction
noun
der·e·lic·tion
ˌder-ə-ˈlik-shən
1
: the act of abandoning : the state of being abandoned
the dereliction of a cause by its leaders
2
: neglect of one's duty
Legal Definition
dereliction
noun
der·e·lic·tion
ˌder-ə-ˈlik-shən
1
a
: an intentional abandonment
b
: a state of being abandoned
2
: a recession of water leaving permanently dry land
3
: an intentional or conscious neglect
dereliction of duty
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