malinger

[muh-ling-ger]

verb (used without object)

1. to pretend illness, especially in order to shirk one's duty, avoid work, etc.

malinger

/ məˈlɪŋɡə /

verb

1. (intr) to pretend or exaggerate illness, esp to avoid work

Other Word Forms

• malingerer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of malinger¹

First recorded in 1810–20; from French malingre “sickly, ailing,” equivalent to mal- “bad, ill” + Old French heingre “haggard” (perhaps from Germanic ); mal-

Word History and Origins

Origin of malinger¹

C19: from French malingre sickly, perhaps from mal badly + Old French haingre feeble

Example Sentences

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

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The State Bar of California, which was going after Girardi’s law license, quickly cast doubt on the diagnosis, suggesting possible malingering, a refrain later picked up by federal prosecutors pursuing wire fraud charges.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Staton had previously ruled Girardi had some cognitive impairment but was competent to stand trial and even showed signs of malingering, or exaggerating, his dementia symptoms.

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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.

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Detecting that someone is malingering is not an exact science.

Read more on Scientific American