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
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
Trump’s first presidential administration paused delinquency reporting to credit bureaus, along with monthly payments, in March 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
—
Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 23 May 2025
In the first three months of the year, the delinquency rate for student loans jumped from less than 1% to nearly 8%, according to recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
—Alain Sherter, CBS News, 21 May 2025
The decline reflected a rise in 90+ day delinquencies in the past six months, partly because federal student loan delinquencies are being reported on credit files for the first time since March 2020, FICO said.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 6 May 2025
New student loan delinquencies have been shown to have big impacts, with scores dropping an average of 87 points for borrowers with a weak credit history and 171 points for those with better credit.
—Andrew Torgan, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for delinquency
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Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 23 May 2025
In the first three months of the year, the delinquency rate for student loans jumped from less than 1% to nearly 8%, according to recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
—Alain Sherter, CBS News, 21 May 2025
The decline reflected a rise in 90+ day delinquencies in the past six months, partly because federal student loan delinquencies are being reported on credit files for the first time since March 2020, FICO said.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 6 May 2025
New student loan delinquencies have been shown to have big impacts, with scores dropping an average of 87 points for borrowers with a weak credit history and 171 points for those with better credit.
—Andrew Torgan, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for delinquency
Cite this Entry
“Delinquency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delinquency. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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
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