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

Synonyms

• abandonment
• desertion
• forsaking

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

Fear of Trump’s anger is no excuse for dereliction of duty. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2025

Lawmakers diagnosed that the principal government dereliction had been the failure to ensure that intelligence was shared across agencies. —Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 1 Mar. 2025

Here, dereliction was kept at bay: the corridors were bright, broom-swept, and freshly painted. —Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025

Salvini was acquitted of kidnapping and dereliction of duty charges in December 2024. —Ronald Niezen, The Conversation, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for dereliction

• antifriction
• benediction
• contradiction
• crucifixion
• interdiction
• jurisdiction
• malediction
• addiction
• affliction
• constriction
• conviction
• depiction

Kids 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