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# delinquent

noun (a delinquent, delinquents); adjective (delinquent)

«delinquent» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A delinquent, or juvenile delinquent, is a young person who keeps breaking the law or behaving badly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delinquent/#m1)
2. (adjective) Delinquent behaviour is behaviour that breaks laws or rules. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delinquent/#m2)
3. (formal, mainly US) A delinquent bill or account is one that has not been paid on time. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delinquent/#m3)

### In the lessons

Used in news, reports and stories about young people in trouble with the law; it is a serious, judging word. In formal and business English, a delinquent payment is a late one. Phrases: juvenile delinquent, delinquent behaviour, delinquent account.

### Examples

- The police caught the young delinquents spraying paint on the wall. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delinquent/#x1)
- The story is about a delinquent who turns his life around. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delinquent/#x2)
- Stealing cars is delinquent behaviour. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delinquent/#x3)
- The bank sent a letter about the delinquent account. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delinquent/#x4)
- He was called a juvenile delinquent, but he just needed help. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delinquent/#x5)
- The delinquents were made to clean up the park. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delinquent/#x6)
- Her tax payment was delinquent by three months. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delinquent/#x7)

### Note

Countable noun: a delinquent, delinquents. Noun for the behaviour: delinquency (uncountable). It is a harsh label; calling a classmate a delinquent is insulting.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «delinquent» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delinquent/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«delinquent» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/delinquent.html) on Mova free.