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Dereliction: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Dereliction noun. Shameful failure to do one’s duty.
How to say it
der-ih-LIK-shun/ˌdɛrɪˈlɪkʃ(ə)n/
4 syllables, stressed on the third (LIK).
Meanings
- Shameful failure to do one’s duty.
- The state of being abandoned and left to decay.
Dereliction in a sentence
The guard was court-martialled for dereliction of duty after falling asleep at his post.
The mill stood in dereliction for decades before it became flats.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- neglect
- negligence
- abandonment
- failure
Where dereliction comes from
From Latin derelinquere, to abandon completely.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The mill stood in _____ for decades before it became flats.
- vigilante
- perjury
- dereliction
Show the answer
dereliction: The mill stood in dereliction for decades before it became flats.