malingering

American  

[muh-ling-ger-ing] / məˈlɪŋ gər ɪŋ /

adjective

1. pretending illness, especially in order to shirk one’s duty, avoid work, etc..

   Typically, malingering patients are reluctant to undergo examination and complain about having to participate.

2. of or being a pretended illness.

   The manager reprimanded the employee and accused him of having a malingering illness.

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noun

1. the act or practice of pretending illness.

   Stop your malingering and help your mother with the chores!

Etymology

Origin of malingering

First recorded in 1770–80; malinger ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; malinger ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun sense

Example Sentences

Neither the defence's witnesses nor the prison's doctors believed Jeffries was "malingering" - or intentionally fabricating or exaggerating his symptoms.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

In some cases, they have attributed reported health-effects from fume exposure to factors including hyperventilation, jet lag, psychological stress, mass hysteria and malingering.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 14, 2025

Staton, who presided over his trial, embraced the view that Girardi was suffering from dementia but also malingering.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 17, 2025

“People can be mentally ill and malingering; they can be demented and exaggerate,” says Rory Houghtalen, a forensic psychiatrist who consults on criminal legal cases in New York State.

From Scientific American • Aug. 17, 2023

Several times his officers looked closely at him for malingering, but no charge was brought.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck