1
as in abandonment
the act of abandoning
the dereliction by the owners of a once flourishing orchard
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in negligence
failure to take the care that a cautious person usually takes
the ski area was not held responsible for the injury on account of the skier's own manifest dereliction
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in neglect
the nonperformance of an assigned or expected action
both sentries were to be court-martialed for dereliction of duty
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4
as in weakness
a defect in character
believes that society is guilty of a moral dereliction if it does not care for those unable to care for themselves
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dereliction
This plan, during such a critical period, is nothing less than a dereliction of duty and a further sign of how the Congressional majority is content to be subservient to this administration.
—
The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026
The unlawful attacks and murders by the Department of Homeland Security are another dereliction of congressional oversight, and both should be stopped before further harm can be done.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Four former Argentine navy officers stand trial for the 2017 ARA San Juan submarine sinking that killed 44 crew members, charged with dereliction of duty.
—Almudena Calatrava, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Selling lakes, rivers and other water resources to private investors is a dereliction of duty.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dereliction
The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026
The unlawful attacks and murders by the Department of Homeland Security are another dereliction of congressional oversight, and both should be stopped before further harm can be done.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Four former Argentine navy officers stand trial for the 2017 ARA San Juan submarine sinking that killed 44 crew members, charged with dereliction of duty.
—Almudena Calatrava, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Selling lakes, rivers and other water resources to private investors is a dereliction of duty.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dereliction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dereliction
Noun
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The approaching Easter holiday often means an increase in the purchase and gifting of live rabbits, and a resulting spike in abandonments.—
Sharon Chin,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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In spite of a seismic crossing of the technological Rubicon, an abandonment of the centuries-old deference to the naked eye, a codifying and calcifying of the most atomic-level building block of the sport, baseball mostly just looked like baseball.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The lawsuit accuses the hotel's ownership and management of negligence in connection with the incident last July.—
Terell Bailey,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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The jury in Los Angeles found that Meta and YouTube were negligent in the design of their platforms, and that this negligence was a substantial factor in causing harm to the plaintiff.—
Tim Smith,
Vogue,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Serious Medical and Emotional Neglect Turner said Kaiko arrived in poor health, suffering from multiple medical issues and signs of prolonged neglect.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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The law also explicitly states that allowing a reasonably capable child to walk to school or travel to a nearby park unsupervised does not, by itself, constitute neglect.—
Stephen Johnson,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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If not treated early, the infection can progress to more serious symptoms, such as joint swelling and arthritis, nerve pain, tingling or numbness, facial muscle weakness, heart inflammation and difficulties with memory or concentration.—
Emily Bache,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
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To play for Hurley is to understand that taking a play off is not acceptable, that bending over and tugging at your short hems – a sure sign, in Hurley’s estimation, of weakness – will earn you either a death stare or a run up the steps.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Iranian regime is recruiting children and sending out mass recruitment messages via text, signaling there may be truth to the White House’s claim that the Islamic regime is suffering widespread desertions.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Apr. 2026
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Ukraine appears to be facing a higher rate of desertion than Russia.—
Olivier Kempf,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The bible writes that Jesus carried the cross to Calvary, where he was crucified and died for the forgiveness of sins.—
Elijah Westbrook,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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His resurrection signifies victory over sin, death and despair.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The chain’s coordinator, Melissa Soriano, blamed poor reviews on overly critical inspectors looking to find fault.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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Metra did not admit fault as part of the settlement agreements, Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis said.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Nicole Tallman’s job as a senior staffer under Miami-Dade County’s mayor puts her on the frontlines of county government’s many failings, mishaps and challenges.—
Douglas Hanks
April 1,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
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Before 1956, addiction to drugs and alcohol were considered failings in morality or personal will.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dereliction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dereliction. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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