Meaning & use
dereliction
Last updated
the shameful failure to fulfill a duty or obligation, or the state of being abandoned and left to decay.
See it in a sentence
The officer was disciplined for dereliction of duty after leaving his post early.
The dereliction of the old mill was obvious from its broken windows and collapsing roof.
A note on using this word
Most often appears in the fixed phrase dereliction of duty, a formal and fairly serious accusation.
Words with a similar meaning
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Words with an opposite meaning
diligence
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