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
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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That abandonment is even more damaging in a country like Cuba, which has run a global propaganda campaign based on its social achievements.—
Sarah Moreno
Updated April 29,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
-
News of the abandonments has prompted outrage on social media, with many calling for the person to be prosecuted when caught.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His mother and young son sued in 2022, alleging wrongful death, assault and battery, and negligence.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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The lawsuit accused the Port of Bremerton of gross negligence and breach of contract for its failure to ensure safety at the marina.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Cornelius endorsed the revitalization plan in 2022, which seeks to modernize the area and fix problems stemming from long-term neglect.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
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Strength in one pillar supports the others; neglect in one weakens all three.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Some analysts have raised alarms about how weakness in a key node of the web, like OpenAI, could set off a chain reaction that could threaten the entire AI ecosystem.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
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Prior to his senior year, Maloney worked extremely hard to correct his weakness.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The core of the story is the desertion and betrayal of Roseanna McCoy by all concerned.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
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Furthermore, the Ukrainian army is short-handed, facing around 200,000 troop desertions and draft-dodging by around 2 million people, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in January.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The galley starts directly next to the lounge with an available 90-L Isotherm door fridge/freezer and extends down the passenger sidewall with a countertop with inbuilt sin and available portable induction cooktop.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
21 Apr. 2026
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For Nikolas Indigo, the road to freedom was lined with warnings against a life of sin.—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Additional information about the crash, including the directions both cars were traveling, which driver was at fault and whether drugs, alcohol or speeding are believed to be factors, was not immediately available Thursday.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
30 Apr. 2026
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And later, when water levels dropped, tectonics shifted, reefs grew, and the ice age locked away the planet’s water supplies into glaciers, and new faults thrust the land skyward to dry?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Dombrowski, like Breslow, is more responsible than his manager for the failings of his club, which ended its 10-game losing streak on Saturday night but still is worse off than the Red Sox at 9-18.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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Now it had been relegated again to a leftist cause, a symbol of anti-imperial resistance for some and the face of communism’s failings for others.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dereliction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dereliction. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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