malingering

[ muh-ling-ger-ing ]

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.

noun

1. the act or practice of pretending illness:

   Stop your malingering and help your mother with the chores!

Word History and Origins

Origin of malingering¹

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

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.

From Los Angeles Times

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

Detecting that someone is malingering is not an exact science.

From Scientific American

Goldstein, who did not return a message seeking comment, practices in Chicago and has lectured on the topic of malingering, according to a resume posted online.

From Los Angeles Times

Department of Behavioral Health, wrote in a report that she believed Trotman was “malingering” his mental illness, when he was actually well enough to understand the legal proceedings in his case, a prosecutor asserted.

From Washington Post