1
as in abandonment
the act of abandoning the dereliction by the owners of a once flourishing orchard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in neglect
the nonperformance of an assigned or expected action both sentries were to be court-martialed for dereliction of duty

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dereliction 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dereliction
Noun
  • From a geostrategic perspective, Trump’s abandonment of the FCPA is a disastrous decision.
    Richard Nephew, Foreign Affairs, 24 Feb. 2025
  • This second abandonment compounds the damage to U.S. credibility and standing caused by the first.
    Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • In addition to the law firm’s other work, Rader handles cases related to reproductive negligence (embryo destruction) and unregulated behavior in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) sector.
    Andrew Rader, Sun Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Both leveled the following allegations: intentional infliction of emotional distress; negligence; negligent supervision; negligent retention/hiring; negligent failure to warn, train or educate; and breach of fiduciary duty.
    KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Natalia was evicted from the apartment a year later and the couple was hit with accusations of abandonment and several charges related to the neglect of a dependent.
    Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025
  • The county billed him $24K for the neglect of the previous owner.
    Wesley Alden, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Oklahoma City addressed most of its playoff weaknesses from last May.
    Nick Crain, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
  • Barca were struggling to secure the future of a valuable asset and were nearing a position of weakness in negotiations from the summer, when the player would have a year left on his contract.
    Pol Ballús, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • In November 2024, Shamika Mitchell, 38, was convicted of unlawful desertion of a child and aggravated child abuse, according to the State’s Attorney for Florida’s 7th Circuit.
    KC Baker, People.com, 3 Feb. 2025
  • Earlier this week, Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation detained two generals and a colonel, with one commander arrested for not informing the authorities about a mass desertion of troops.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The cityscape is comparable to Las Vegas, without the sin of course.
    Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
  • In Terror at the Gates, Lilith Leviathan, on the run from her powerful family, arrives in Ninevah, a district of Eden that’s known for its taste for sin.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Southern California Edison detected a fault on its transmission system near the time of the start of the Eaton Fire, according to a company filing with state regulators.
    Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2025
  • That region of South Carolina clearly has an active fault, and the sightings occurred near the epicenter of the massive 1886 quake.
    Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Does the actor looking older than her 21 years (a notion that is, of course, entirely subjective) infer some kind of moral failing?
    Morgan Fargo, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2025
  • The study framed their feelings as internal failings rather than responses to external pressures, such as patriarchy and white supremacy, which drive perfectionism.
    Shari Dunn, TIME, 25 Feb. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dereliction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dereliction. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!