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delinquent Definition

de·lin·quent (-kwənt)

adjective

  1. failing or neglecting to do what duty or law requires
  2. ☆ past the time for payment; overdue delinquent taxes

Etymology: L delinquens: see delinquency

noun

a delinquent person; esp., a juvenile delinquent

Related Forms:

delinquent Synonyms

delinquent

modif.

  1. Lax in duty

    derelict, remiss, negligent, slack, behind hand, tardy, procrastinating, criminal, neglectful, faulty, shabby, guilty of misdeed, failing in duty, blameworthy, blamable, culpable, red-handed, censurable, offending, reprehensible; see also careless 1.

    Antonyms punctual*, punctilious*, scrupulous. *

  2. Not paid on time; said especially of taxes

    owed, back, overdue; see due, unpaid 1.

delinquent Synonyms

delinquent

n.

defaulter, tax evader, offender, reprobate, dawdler, slacker, bad debtor, poor risk, neglecter of duty, felon, miscreant, malefactor, lawbreaker, wrongdoer, sinner, juvenile offender, juvenile delinquent, JD*, punk*, hoodlum*, hood*, ganster, hooligan*, troublemaker*, outlaw*, scamp*, black sheep*, fallen angel*, jailbird*, welsher*, tax dodger*, deadbeat*; see also criminal.

delinquent Law Definition

n

adj

  1. A person who fails to perform a legal or contractual obligation, or who is guilty of illegal or disorderly behavior.
  2. Of a person failing to perform a legal or contractual obligation, or who is engaging in illegal or disorderly behavior.
delinquent Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • age: The program deals with the second childhood of a group of aging delinquents.
  • give: Control orders are unlikely to prove any more effective against genuine terrorists than ASBOâs have proved in restraining juvenile delinquents given them.

Modifying Another Word

  • particularly: Has anyone experienced this kind of behavior before - or have I got a particularly delinquent fox?

Adjective modifier

  • juvenile: Where juvenile delinquents white man to they became engraved such fund managers.
  • young: In Addis Ababa, girls and boys cited examples of girls being accosted on the way to or from school by young male delinquents.
  • such: It was found also that such delinquents were subjected to discipline according to the rules of the church to which they belonged.
  • teenage: Nikki Lennox ( Vicki Mathios ) One of the teenage delinquents sent on a day scheme to Wentworth to " scare them straight " .
  • other: Unguided and alone, the boy teams up with other inner-city delinquents and is soon part of a system of crime and punishment.
  • several: The House resumed the Debate upon the Bill for Sale of the Estates of several Delinquents.

Modifies a noun

  • teenager: July 2004 19th July 2004 The Government is proposing " on the spot " fines for delinquent teenagers.
  • behavior: Delinquent behavior was closely linked with a greater risk of drug use.
  • daughter: With his delinquent daughters, Bunny and Sunshine, in tow, Quoyle finds himself part of an unfolding, exhilerating Atlantic drama.
  • youth: Almost as soon as the Estate was occupied articles appeared referring to ' delinquent youths ' causing trouble near the shops.
  • act: One in ten of the sample report committing at least one delinquent act more than 50 times last year.
  • group: Where delinquent youth groups are referred to in this report, this relates to groups which meet the criteria listed below.

Used with adjective complement

  • become: Reports are due January 1st and become delinquent if not filed by May 1st.