English Reference
Noun

delinquency

n.
C1 Advanced US /dɪˈɫɪŋkwənsi/ UK /dɪlˈɪnkwənsi/ delin·quen·cy UK spelling delinquencies

n.the act of not paying a debt or a bill on time. It is also used to describe a person who breaks the law or does something wrong.

n.the failure to meet a legal or financial obligation, such as the non-payment of a debt or the commission of a crime. Often used in legal or financial contexts to describe a state of default or misconduct.


SIMPLE

The bank reported his credit card delinquency to the credit agency.

CONTEXTUAL

The judge considered the defendant's history of juvenile delinquency when deciding on the length of the sentence.

COMPLEX

Persistent delinquency in mortgage payments can lead to foreclosure, while a pattern of financial delinquency may significantly lower an individual's credit score for several years.

Photograph: Universal/Allstar In Don Siegel’s Crime in the Streets (1956), a drama about juvenile delinquency, Rydell acted alongside John Cassavetes and Sal Mineo.

The Guardian· 17 Aug 2026

Rather than asking adolescents directly if they had committed a specific crime, the researchers used the "self-reported delinquency" method.

Phys.org· 12 Aug 2026
This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated