1
as in neglectful
failing to give proper care and attention
the guards were judged derelict in their duty
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disused
left unoccupied or unused
purchased an old derelict mansion that was rumored to be haunted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in bum
an idle worthless person
a section of the city that seemed to be frequented mostly by derelicts
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of derelict
Wes Burdine, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
An old and derelict residential hotel in Detroit that was immortalized in a song by The White Stripes has been shut down by the city.
—Jc Reindl, Freep.com, 22 Sep. 2025
Tens of millions of lives have been upended from derelict disaster response, power outages, inhumane commute times, and the housing shortage.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Urban-centric, green-thinking locals are reinvigorating once derelict industrial neighborhoods, while outdoorsy transplants are moving in to take advantage of the city’s enviable position minutes from the mountains.
—Jeremy Pugh, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for derelict
Adjective
Just a few more blocks away is the derelict CVS that has become a lightning rod of neighborhood fury, a monument to gross neglect.
—Wes Burdine, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
An old and derelict residential hotel in Detroit that was immortalized in a song by The White Stripes has been shut down by the city.
—Jc Reindl, Freep.com, 22 Sep. 2025
Tens of millions of lives have been upended from derelict disaster response, power outages, inhumane commute times, and the housing shortage.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Urban-centric, green-thinking locals are reinvigorating once derelict industrial neighborhoods, while outdoorsy transplants are moving in to take advantage of the city’s enviable position minutes from the mountains.
—Jeremy Pugh, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for derelict
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derelict
Adjective
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Sid lives in the town of Matakana with her single, sometimes-neglectful alcoholic father Leo (Noah Taylor), who wanted to be a painter but now mows the lawns of rich neighbors and visiting Auckland rich boys occupying the beachfront mansions nearby in Omaha.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Dysfunctional families can look many different ways, but typically are controlling, secretive, neglectful, and uncommunicative.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Under former Mayor Eric Kellogg, the city lost millions on a scheme to rehabilitate a disused hotel.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Understanding that Mandela’s liberation meant that white-minority rule was coming to an end, the founders trekked into the desert, bought a disused mining town wholesale, and established a colony.—
Eve Fairbanks,
The Dial,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Her assignment, along with another non-skiing ski bum friend of hers, was to secure that spot.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Trying to warm up your bum from the cold was said to produce heavier periods.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The game has been played at A&M's tempo, causing the Gaels to make careless mistakes.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Democrats accuse the Justice Department of withholding too many files and making careless redactions that exposed intimate details about victims.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In Send Help, now in theaters, Linda (Rachel McAdams) and her overbearing boss Bradley (Dylan O’Brien) survive a plane crash and become stranded on a deserted island, where their past office grievances become a violent fight for survival.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
8 Mar. 2026
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The film is an adaptation of the ghost novel of the same name, which follows a married couple who travel to Europe to adopt a baby and stay in a deserted hotel filled with eccentric characters.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
So disguised as a beggar, Odysseus shows up at his palace, and he is not treated very nicely by the suitors who have camped out in his house.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Hollywood turned him into a beggar.—
Lili Anolik,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The Black Crowes were famously a lazy-rehearsal band.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Fold blankets and fluff pillows so your space is primed for a lazy Saturday morning.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The abandoned Westminster Mall has turned into a hotspot for vandalism since shuttering in late 2025, according to police who are attempting to raise awareness about the issue.—
Lesley Marin,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
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Rogers is shopworker Polly Parrish, who gets mistakenly identified as the parent of an abandoned baby.—
Gwen Ihnat,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derelict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derelict. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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