delinquent
/di'liɳkwənt/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Overdue; not paid when due: Refers to a payment, bill, or financial obligation that is past its scheduled time for settlement.
- Failing in duty; neglectful: Describes a person who is careless or irresponsible in fulfilling their responsibilities or obligations.
- Guilty of a misdeed or minor crime: Typically used to describe a young person who has committed an offense or antisocial act.
Noun:
- A young offender: A person, typically a minor, who has committed a crime or antisocial act.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- The company sent a reminder about the delinquent account. (The company sent a reminder about the account with an overdue payment.)
- He was delinquent in his duties as a supervisor. (He was neglectful in performing his duties as a supervisor.)
- The court handles cases involving delinquent juveniles. (The court handles cases involving young people guilty of offenses.)
Noun:
- The program aims to rehabilitate juvenile delinquents. (The program aims to rehabilitate young offenders.)
- He was labeled a delinquent after several minor offenses. (He was labeled a young offender after several minor crimes.)
Advanced Usage
"Tax delinquent": Refers specifically to a person or entity that has failed to pay taxes on time.
- The city published a list of tax-delinquent properties. (The city published a list of properties whose owners have not paid taxes on time.)
"Moral delinquent": A somewhat formal or literary term for a person who is morally neglectful or corrupt.
- The novel's villain is portrayed as a moral delinquent. (The novel's villain is portrayed as a person who is morally corrupt.)
Variants and Related Words
Delinquency (n): The state or act of being delinquent; juvenile crime.
- The city has seen a rise in juvenile delinquency. (The city has seen an increase in crime committed by young people.)
Delinquently (adv): In a delinquent manner.
- The bill was paid delinquently, incurring a late fee. (The bill was paid after the due date, incurring a late fee.)
Synonyms
- Adjective (overdue): Overdue, late, unpaid.
- Adjective (neglectful): Negligent, remiss, derelict.
- Noun (offender): Offender, wrongdoer, malefactor (often for adults); juvenile offender, young offender (for minors).
Related Phrases
"Juvenile delinquent": The most common collocation for the noun form, specifically referring to a young person who commits crimes.
- Social workers intervened to help the juvenile delinquent. (Social workers intervened to help the young offender.)
"Delinquent behavior": Actions that constitute an offense or a failure in duty.
- The school has programs to address delinquent behavior. (The school has programs to address offending or irresponsible behavior.)
Adjective
- past due; not paid at the scheduled time
- an overdue installment
- a delinquent account
- failing in what duty requires
- derelict (or delinquent) in his duty
- neglectful of his duties
- remiss of you not to pay your bills
- guilty of a misdeed
- delinquent minors
Noun
- a young offender