delinquency
C1Formal, Academic, Legal
Definition
Meaning
Minor crime, especially that committed by young people; a failure to meet a legal or moral obligation.
The state or condition of being delinquent; neglect of duty; a specific instance of such neglect or wrongdoing.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a non-count noun referring to the general phenomenon of minor crime, especially by the young. Can be a count noun for specific instances of neglect or failure to pay (e.g., 'a delinquency on your account').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In both varieties, the primary meaning relates to crime, especially juvenile crime. In American English, the financial/administrative sense (e.g., loan delinquency) is more frequent and established in business/legal contexts.
Connotations
Strongly associated with youth crime and social problems. The financial sense is neutral/technical.
Frequency
More frequent in American English due to broader usage in financial, legal, and sociological contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
a rise in delinquencyan increase in delinquencya case of delinquencyrates of delinquencyprevention of delinquencyVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “On the road to delinquency”
- “A brush with delinquency”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to failure to make a required payment on time (e.g., 'The bank reported a spike in credit card delinquencies.').
Academic
Used in sociology, criminology, and psychology to discuss juvenile crime and its causes (e.g., 'The study examined social factors correlated with delinquency.').
Everyday
Less common; used when discussing youth crime or serious neglect of duty in a formal tone.
Technical
Specific legal/financial term for a default or breach of contract; a clinical term in psychology.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A – 'delinquency' is a noun. The related verb is 'to default' or 'to offend'.
American English
- N/A – 'delinquency' is a noun. The related verb is 'to default' or 'to offend'.
adverb
British English
- N/A – No direct adverb. One might say 'behaved delinquently', but it's very rare.
American English
- N/A – No direct adverb. One might say 'behaved delinquently', but it's very rare.
adjective
British English
- The council launched a new delinquency prevention programme.
- He was placed in a special school for delinquency-prone children.
American English
- The report highlighted rising delinquency rates for auto loans.
- The agency focuses on at-risk, delinquency-prone youth.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The film is about a teenager who gets into delinquency.
- Paying your bills late can lead to financial delinquency.
- The government is funding new schemes to tackle juvenile delinquency in urban areas.
- A high delinquency rate on student loans is a concern for the economy.
- Sociologists have long debated the root causes of adolescent delinquency, often linking it to family breakdown and poverty.
- The bond was downgraded due to the issuer's persistent delinquency in meeting its coupon payments.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a DELINQUENT (a young offender) who owes a DEBT. DELINQUENCY covers both the crime and the debt non-payment.
Conceptual Metaphor
DELINQUENCY IS A DEBT (to society, to the law). DELINQUENCY IS A DISEASE (to be treated or prevented).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'делинквентность' – it's a rare calque. For juvenile crime, use 'правонарушения несовершеннолетних' or 'преступность среди молодежи'. For financial default, use 'просрочка платежа' or 'невыполнение обязательств'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'delinquency' for major/violent crime (it implies minor/antisocial acts).
- Using it as a direct synonym for 'crime' without the youth/moral failure connotation.
- Confusing 'delinquency' (noun) with 'delinquent' (adjective/noun).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'delinquency' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, but it is most strongly associated with juvenile crime. It can refer to any minor crime or neglect of duty by adults, especially in financial contexts (e.g., tax delinquency).
'Delinquency' typically refers to minor, often non-violent, illegal acts (vandalism, truancy, petty theft), especially by juveniles. 'Crime' is the broader, more general term covering all illegal activities.
No, it is exclusively negative, denoting failure, neglect, or wrongdoing.
The direct adjective is 'delinquent' (e.g., a delinquent borrower, delinquent behaviour).
Explore