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

Former President Trump's actions preceded the riot in a disgraceful dereliction of duty. . . . —Allison Pecorin, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2024

The damage done to his kids here stems from his own dereliction of parental duties. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024

About a month after the shooting, the 46-year-old Coy was arrested and indicted on charges of murder, reckless homicide, felonious assault and two counts of dereliction of duty. —Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2024

In that idiosyncratic way, My eyes (and feet) are sensitive to the quality of the road surface, pollution and to the appearance of new buildings and signs of dereliction (Berlin scores on both counts). —Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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