dereliction

/ˌderəˈlɪkʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌderəˈlɪkʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌder-ə-ˈlik-shən ˌde-rə-/ (ame, mw)

dereliction — noun

  • derelictionsingular
  • derelictionsplural

1. the act of not doing something important that is part of your job or responsibil

1.名詞C2
釋義

the act of not doing something important that is part of your job or responsibility, especially when you have chosen not to do it.

例句

The captain was charged with dereliction of duty after leaving the bridge during the storm.

fixed phrase: dereliction of duty

Lukas was fired for gross dereliction of his responsibilities as the on-call doctor.

collocation: gross dereliction

同義詞
  • negligence

    broader; can apply to private life, not just official duty

  • malfeasance

    more formal/legal; implies wrongful action, not just failure to act

  • delinquency

    often about young people or financial debts in modern use; older synonym in this sense

反義詞
  • diligence

    careful and steady fulfillment of a duty

文法句型

dereliction of duty

dereliction in + gerund

用法筆記

Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'dereliction of duty'. Subject of the duty is usually someone in a professional or official role (officer, doctor, judge, public servant).

常見錯誤

❌He showed dereliction by being late once.
✅He showed dereliction of duty by abandoning his post during the fire.
💡the word implies a serious failure of a formal responsibility, not a minor lapse.

2. the condition of a building, piece of land, or area that has been left empty and

2.名詞C2
釋義

the condition of a building, piece of land, or area that has been left empty and has become damaged or run down because nobody looks after it.

例句

The old factory had fallen into dereliction after the company closed twenty years ago.

collocation: fall into dereliction

Whole streets in the town centre stood in a state of dereliction by the late 1980s.

pattern: in a state of dereliction

同義詞
  • ruin

    stronger; emphasises near-total physical collapse

  • decay

    the process of slow physical breakdown; often paired with 'dereliction'

  • disrepair

    neutral; just means in bad condition, no implication of abandonment

反義詞
  • upkeep

    the action of keeping a place in good condition

文法句型

fall into dereliction

in a state of dereliction

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense describes a physical place's run-down state, while sense 1 describes a person's failure to perform a duty. Often paired with 'decay' or 'neglect' when describing urban areas.

常見錯誤

❌The garden was in dereliction because Hannah forgot to water it.
✅The garden had fallen into dereliction after years of neglect.
💡this sense applies to long-term, large-scale abandonment, not short-term oversight.