delinquent
C1Formal to neutral; common in legal, social work, administrative, and financial contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A person, typically a young one, who fails in or neglects a duty, responsibility, or law; an offender, especially a juvenile one.
Characterized by or showing a failure to meet a standard or obligation; overdue (often used in financial contexts).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Carries strong connotations of social/moral failure and potential criminality. As an adjective, it can apply to abstract things like debts or payments.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slight preference in UK for 'juvenile delinquent' as a fixed legal/social term. In US, 'delinquent' alone is more common for juveniles. Adjective use for overdue payments is equally common in both.
Connotations
In both, implies a need for correction/punishment. May carry slightly stronger class/socioeconomic connotations in UK usage.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American English due to widespread use in legal/judicial and financial systems.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
delinquent (noun)delinquent (adjective) + noun (e.g., delinquent debt)noun + delinquent (e.g., juvenile delinquent)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Juvenile delinquent (fixed phrase)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referring to overdue invoices or loans (e.g., 'delinquent accounts will incur a penalty').
Academic
Used in sociology, criminology, and law to describe youth crime and antisocial behavior.
Everyday
Less common; used formally to describe a badly behaved young person or an unpaid bill.
Technical
Precise legal category for a minor who has committed an act that would be a crime if done by an adult.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A – 'delinquent' is not used as a verb.
American English
- N/A – 'delinquent' is not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A – 'delinquently' is extremely rare and non-standard.
American English
- N/A – 'delinquently' is extremely rare and non-standard.
adjective
British English
- The council is cracking down on delinquent council tax payments.
- He showed delinquent tendencies from a young age.
American English
- The bank repossessed the car after the loan became delinquent.
- The study focused on delinquent youth in urban areas.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The boy was called a delinquent for skipping school.
- Your payment is delinquent.
- The programme aims to steer young delinquents away from crime.
- We must address the root causes of delinquent behaviour.
- The judge ordered the delinquent to complete community service.
- The company wrote off millions in delinquent debts.
- Sociologists debate whether poverty is a causative factor in juvenile delinquency.
- The lien was placed on the property due to delinquent taxes.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'The delinquent was LATE (delinquent debt) and got in trouble with the law.' Links the two main meanings.
Conceptual Metaphor
MORAL FAILURE IS A FINANCIAL DEBT (e.g., 'paying one's debt to society').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'преступник' (criminal) – 'delinquent' часто специфично для несовершеннолетних.
- В финансовом контексте – 'просроченный', а не просто 'долговой'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'delinquent' for adult hardened criminals (too weak).
- Confusing 'delinquent' (noun/person) with 'delinquency' (abstract noun/behavior).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'delinquent' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Delinquent' often implies a young offender or a less serious/established pattern of law-breaking, and is a key term in juvenile justice. 'Criminal' is a broader, more severe term for anyone who commits a crime.
No. As an adjective, it commonly describes things like overdue payments, taxes, or accounts (e.g., a delinquent loan).
Not quite. 'Delinquent' can refer to adults in financial contexts. 'Juvenile delinquent' is a fixed legal and sociological term specifying the age group.
The noun form referring to the behavior or status itself (e.g., 'juvenile delinquency') or the state of being overdue (e.g., 'loan delinquency').
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