juvenile delinquency

noun

1
: conduct by a juvenile characterized by antisocial behavior that is beyond parental control and therefore subject to legal action
2
: a violation of the law committed by a juvenile and not punishable by death or life imprisonment
juvenile delinquent noun

Examples of juvenile delinquency in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
All the publicity — some people were very enthusiastic about the book, and other people thought the Beat Generation would bring waves of juvenile delinquency. Tommy McArdle, People.com, 2 Aug. 2025 The catalyst was Seduction of the Innocent, a 1954 book by psychiatrist Frederick Wertham that argued American children were being led into juvenile delinquency by lurid and violent comics. Oliver Staley, Time, 25 July 2025 In it, Wertham railed against comics as a cause of juvenile delinquency, dyslexia, and other childhood behavioral problems that kept anxious parents up at night. Vasilis K. Pozios, HollywoodReporter, 18 July 2025 Among her new charges are two counts of dissemination of matter harmful to minors and contributing to juvenile delinquency, according to multiple reports. Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for juvenile delinquency

Word History

First Known Use

1816, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of juvenile delinquency was in 1816

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Cite this Entry

“Juvenile delinquency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/juvenile%20delinquency. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

juvenile delinquency

noun
: violation of the law (as stealing) or antisocial behavior (as playing hooky from school) by a young person

Medical Definition

juvenile delinquency

noun
1
: conduct by a juvenile characterized by antisocial behavior that is subject to legal action
2
: a violation of the law committed by a juvenile that would have been a crime if committed by an adult

Legal Definition

juvenile delinquency

noun
: a violation of the law committed by a juvenile that would have been a crime if committed by an adult
also : antisocial behavior by juveniles that is subject to legal action

More from Merriam-Webster on juvenile delinquency

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