The Oregon Coast Aquarium is home to hundreds of aquatic species ... including two that arrived unexpectedly after a trip across the Pacific, trapped in the hull of a derelict fishing boat.
Source: tatoeba (7769141)
Derelict
/ˈdɛr.ə.lɪkt/
Synonyms for "derelict" (228 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (46)
Adjective(17 words)
abandoneddeserteddilapidatedramshackleremissabandoned houseabandoned vesselbedraggledbroken-downcarelesscreakycrumblingdeadbeatdecrepitdelinquentderelict vesseldeserted land
abandonedbatteredbeachcomberbeat upbeat-upbeaten upbeggarbeggarly fellowbehindhandblighterbowery bumbroken downbroken-downbudmashbumbummercaitiffcantercarelesscast off
Noun(1 words)
abandoned ship
Strong matches (68)
desolatedevildilapidateddilatorydingydisaffecteddiscarddiscardeddisloyaldisobedientdisowneddisplaced persondisregardfuldisuseddogiedown-and-outdpdrifterdrunkardevictee
Show 43 more words
exileexpatriateexpelleefadedfaithlessfalseficklefloaterflotsamflotsam and jetsamforsakenfoundlingfreightergood-for-naughtgood-for-nothingheedlesshobohomelesshulkhuman wreckin ruinsinadvertentinattentiveinconstantirresponsibleishmaeljetsamjettisonedjunklaganlaissez fairelaissez-fairelaxlazzaroneleftleperloaferlooselowlifemalingerermaroonedmauvais sujetmean wretch
Adjective(4 words)
Noun(1 words)
Related words (114)
muckerneglectedneglectfulneglectingnegligentno goodno-goodnoninterferingnonrestrictivenot true toof bad faithoff guardoff-guardorphanoutcastoutcast of societyoutcasteoutlawoutside the gatesoutside the pale
Show 80 more words
overly permissivepariahpauvre diablepermissivepersona non gratapilgarlicpoor creaturepoor devilprocrastinatingramshacklerecreantrefuseregardlessrejectrejectedrelaxedremissrubbishruinedruinousrun downrun-downsad casesad sackscampingseedyshabbyshackshipskid-row bumskimpingslackslackerslightingslipshodsloppyslovenlyslummyslurringsocial outcastsolitarystiffstraystreet arabsundownerswagmantankerthreadbaretotterytramptrashtrothlesstruanttumbledownunacceptable personuncircumspectuncouthundependableundesirableunfaithfulunguardedunloyalunreliableunrigorousunsteadfastuntouchableuntrueuntrustworthyunusedunwaryunwatchfulvagvagabondvagrantvaurienwaifwaifs and strayswastrelworthless fellowwretch
Adjective(12 words)
Noun(2 words)
neglecterstate neglect
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abandoned, deserted, dilapidated, ramshackle, remiss.
- Sentence evidence is available for derelict, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "derelict".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "derelict"
Keep "derelict" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "derelict" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "derelict", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "derelict" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
9 entriesMore specific
17 entriesShowing 16 of 17 words.
Collocations
7 entriesderelict buildingderelict landderelict propertyderelict shipderelict sitederelict vesselderelict warehouse
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriessimilar
4 entriesTranslations
52 translations across 21 languages.
Azerbaijani
4 entries- atılmış adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- baxımsız adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- nəzarətsiz adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- tərk edilmiş adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Bulgarian
2 entries- изоставен adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- напуснат adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 荒廢的 /荒废的 adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Dutch
4 entries- instorten adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- uiteenvallen adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- verlaten adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- verwaarloosd adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Finnish
3 entries- hylätty adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- hylkytavara noun (property abandoned by its former guardian or owner; item of such property)
- hylätty omaisuus noun (property abandoned by its former guardian or owner; item of such property)
French
3 entries- (tombé) en ruines adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- abandonné adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- délaissé adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Georgian
4 entries- აოხრებული adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- გავერანებული adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- გაპარტახებული adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- გაჩანაგებული adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
German
3 entries- aufgegeben adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- verfallen adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- verlassen adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Hungarian
4 entries- elhagyatott adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- elhagyott adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- elhanyagolt adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- gazdátlan adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Irish
2 entries- fágtha béal in airde adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- tréigthe adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Italian
3 entries- abbandonato adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- oggetto abbandonato noun (property abandoned by its former guardian or owner; item of such property)
- rifiuto noun (property abandoned by its former guardian or owner; item of such property)
Kazakh
1 entries- тастанды adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Latin
2 entries- derelictus adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- relictus adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Macedonian
2 entries- за́пуштен adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- на́пуштен adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Occitan
1 entries- abandonat adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Polish
1 entries- porzucony adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Portuguese
4 entries- abandonado adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- derelito adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- derrelicto adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- derrelito adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Russian
3 entries- бесхо́зный adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- бро́шенный adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- поки́нутый adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Spanish
2 entries- abandonado adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
- derelicto adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Turkish
1 entries- terk edilmiş adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Vietnamese
1 entries- bỏ hoang adj (given up by the guardian or owner — see also abandoned, forsaken)
Sample sentences
30 total sentences available.
Sami is a derelict.
Source: tatoeba (7987548)
In most Algerian apartment buildings, elevators are derelict and haven't worked for a long time.
Source: tatoeba (8589241)
The old mosque was derelict and rotting.
Source: tatoeba (9048419)
Showing 4 of 30 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "derelict"?
Closest matches include abandoned, deserted, dilapidated, ramshackle, remiss.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "derelict"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.