delinquency
noun
de·lin·quen·cy
di-ˈliŋ-kwən-sē 
-ˈlin-
plural delinquencies
1
a
: a delinquent act
b
: conduct that is out of accord with accepted behavior or the law
especially
: juvenile delinquency
2
: a debt on which payment is overdue
Synonyms
Examples of delinquency in a Sentence
They tried to steer him away from delinquency by giving him a job in their store.
She's been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
a series of minor delinquencies
a high rate of delinquency
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite minor increases in delinquencies and net charge-offs, the company’s credit quality remained solid.
—
John Buckingham, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
The credit-card delinquency rate is about 3.25%, its highest level since 2011.
—Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024
Ally sees growing instances of late-stage delinquencies—those at least 60 days past due.
—Courtenay Brown, Axios, 13 Sep. 2024
But to cope with higher prices, Americans, particularly low- to middle-income households, have racked up record credit card debt and pushed delinquencies to a 13-year high.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for delinquency 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
John Buckingham, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
The credit-card delinquency rate is about 3.25%, its highest level since 2011.
—Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024
Ally sees growing instances of late-stage delinquencies—those at least 60 days past due.
—Courtenay Brown, Axios, 13 Sep. 2024
But to cope with higher prices, Americans, particularly low- to middle-income households, have racked up record credit card debt and pushed delinquencies to a 13-year high.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for delinquency
Dictionary Entries Near delinquency
Cite this Entry
“Delinquency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delinquency. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
delinquency
noun
de·lin·quen·cy
di-ˈliŋ-kwən-sē, -ˈlin-
plural delinquencies
: conduct that is out of accord with accepted behavior or the law
especially
: juvenile delinquency
Legal Definition
delinquency
noun
de·lin·quen·cy
di-ˈliŋ-kwən-sē
plural delinquencies
1
a
: the quality or state of being delinquent
b
: juvenile delinquency
contributing to the delinquency of a minor
2
: a debt on which payment is overdue
consumer loan delinquencies
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share