derelict

derelict — adjective

1. A place such as a building, house, or factory that is derelict has been left uno

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

A place such as a building, house, or factory that is derelict has been left unoccupied and uncared for, causing it to fall into a state of serious decay or damage.

Example

The derelict cinema on High Street had its roof partly caved in and its walls covered with damp.

collocation: derelict + cinema / building / factory

Aiko's uncle bought a derelict cottage near the lake and spent three years restoring it.

contrast: derelict → restored by renovation

Common collocations
  • derelict building
  • derelict house
  • derelict factory
  • derelict land
  • derelict site
  • lie derelict
  • stand derelict
  • become derelict
  • fall into derelict condition
Synonyms
  • abandoned

    Focuses on being left behind; does not necessarily imply decay

  • dilapidated

    Describes the state of disrepair more than the cause of abandonment

  • neglected

    Weaker than derelict; can apply to people or things that have not been cared for but are not necessarily abandoned

  • ruined

    Suggests more complete destruction than derelict typically implies

Antonyms
  • well-maintained

    Kept in good condition through regular care

  • restored

    Repaired and returned to good condition after being derelict

Grammar Patterns

derelict + noun (building, factory, house, land)

become / lie / stand + derelict

Usage Note

Frequently used attributively before nouns naming types of structures (derelict building, derelict house). Can also appear predictively: 'The house was derelict.' Distinguished from 'abandoned,' which describes only the state of being left behind, not the resulting decay.

Common Mistakes

The abandoned car had been parked there for a week.
The derelict car had rusted doors and grass growing through the floor.
'Abandoned' means simply left behind; 'derelict' adds the meaning of decayed or damaged from lack of care.

2. A person, especially someone in an official or professional position, who is der

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

A person, especially someone in an official or professional position, who is derelict fails to carry out the tasks or responsibilities that their role or job requires of them.

Example

The night-shift nurse was found derelict in her duty when she left patients alone for over two hours.

pattern: derelict in + possessive + duty

A government report criticised the council for being derelict in its responsibility to inspect public playgrounds for safety.

formal register: legal / official context

Common collocations
  • derelict in duty
  • derelict in responsibility
  • derelict in obligation
  • derelict in his/her/their duties
Synonyms
  • negligent

    More common and slightly less formal; can apply to any failure to take proper care

  • remiss

    Similar formality but suggests a milder failure, often one of omission rather than active neglect

  • lax

    Informal; suggests a lack of strictness rather than a complete failure of duty

Antonyms
  • conscientious

    Careful and thorough in carrying out duties

  • diligent

    Showing steady, careful effort in one's work

Grammar Patterns

derelict in + noun (duty, responsibility, obligation)

derelict in + possessive + duty/responsibility

Usage Note

Almost always followed by 'in' and a noun phrase naming the duty or obligation. Common in legal, journalistic, and official contexts. Stronger and more formal than 'negligent' — implies a clear standard of duty that has been violated.

Common Mistakes

I was derelict to help my friend move house.
The security guard was derelict in his duty when he left the gate unlocked overnight.
Not used for casual social favours; applies only to formal duties or professional responsibilities.

derelict — noun

Word family

  • dereliction
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe places or things that have been left without proper care, but they differ in emphasis. 'Abandoned' focuses on the act of being left behind: a building can be abandoned the day the owners leave, before any decay sets in. 'Derelict' always implies a visible state of decay and damage that has accumulated over time — a building abandoned for a week is not yet derelict. 'Dilapidated' zeroes in on the physical condition (broken windows, crumbling walls) without specifying why the property is in that state — a house lived in by someone too poor to fix it could be dilapidated but not derelict. 'Neglected' is the mildest of the four: it suggests a lack of care but not necessarily abandonment, and can apply to gardens, roads, or even relationships. 'Deserted' emphasises emptiness — a street can be deserted at 3 a.m. without being derelict. For example: 'The derelict hotel had been abandoned for decades and was now dilapidated beyond repair, while the well-kept house next door was merely neglected by its elderly owner.'

abandoneddilapidated ↗neglecteddeserted

Common collocations

Nouns

  • derelict building
  • derelict site
  • derelict land
  • derelict house
  • derelict property

Adverbs

  • completely derelict
  • partly derelict
  • semi-derelict
  • visibly derelict

Phrases

  • lie derelict
  • stand derelict
  • fall derelict
  • remain derelict

Prepositions

  • derelict in (duty)

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'derelict' traces back to the Latin verb 'derelinquere', meaning 'to abandon completely'. This is formed from 'de-' (meaning 'completely') and 'relinquere' (meaning 'to leave behind'). In the 1600s, English adopted it as a legal term for property that had been abandoned by its owner. By the 1800s, it had broadened to describe buildings left to decay and, later, people who had been forsaken or who lived without settled means. The sense of 'failing in one's duty' developed from the idea of a person 'abandoning' their responsibilities.