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

The experts spent hours with Girardi, interviewing him and conducting tests that can identify mental deficits and in some cases malingering, feigning or exaggerating illness.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 22, 2023

Gigante is probably the most famous case involving malingering.

From Scientific American • Aug. 17, 2023

One of the warders then reported to Kellerman that Andrew Masondo and I had not been working, and we were to be charged with malingering and insubordination.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela