delinquency
noun
de·lin·quen·cy
di-ˈliŋ-kwən-sē 
-ˈlin-
plural delinquencies
1
a
: a delinquent act
b
: conduct that is out of accord with accepted behavior or the law
especially
: juvenile delinquency
2
: a debt on which payment is overdue
Examples of delinquency in a Sentence
They tried to steer him away from delinquency by giving him a job in their store.
She's been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
a series of minor delinquencies
a high rate of delinquency
Recent Examples on the Web
The boy’s mother, Tommi Jo Mejer, 50, of Aliso Viejo, was arrested days after the accident and charged with child endangerment, accessory after the fact, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and providing false information to a peace officer.
—
Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
The boy’s mother, 50-year-old Tommi Jo Mejer of Aliso Viejo, was later arrested and charged with felony child endangerment, being an accessory after the fact and several misdemeanors, including contributing to the delinquency of a minor and providing false information to a peace officer.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
Once enough funds have accumulated in the savings account and an account has aged into serious delinquency, the debt relief company's negotiators make contact with the creditor or debt collector to start the settlement offers on your debt.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
If things continue as projected, insurance premiums will have risen by an average of nearly 30% by 2055 — potentially leading to an additional 203,000 mortgages per year falling into delinquency by then.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for delinquency
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.
Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
The boy’s mother, 50-year-old Tommi Jo Mejer of Aliso Viejo, was later arrested and charged with felony child endangerment, being an accessory after the fact and several misdemeanors, including contributing to the delinquency of a minor and providing false information to a peace officer.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
Once enough funds have accumulated in the savings account and an account has aged into serious delinquency, the debt relief company's negotiators make contact with the creditor or debt collector to start the settlement offers on your debt.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
If things continue as projected, insurance premiums will have risen by an average of nearly 30% by 2055 — potentially leading to an additional 203,000 mortgages per year falling into delinquency by then.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for delinquency
Cite this Entry
“Delinquency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delinquency. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
delinquency
noun
de·lin·quen·cy
di-ˈliŋ-kwən-sē, -ˈlin-
plural delinquencies
: conduct that is out of accord with accepted behavior or the law
especially
: juvenile delinquency
Legal Definition
delinquency
noun
de·lin·quen·cy
di-ˈliŋ-kwən-sē
plural delinquencies
1
a
: the quality or state of being delinquent
b
: juvenile delinquency
contributing to the delinquency of a minor
2
: a debt on which payment is overdue
consumer loan delinquencies
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
