misconduct
Americannoun
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improper or wrong behavior.
Numerous accusations of sexual misconduct have blighted his campaign.
Her license was revoked for professional misconduct and poor professional performance.
- Synonyms:
- misstep, misdeed, misbehavior, wrongdoing
-
unlawful behavior by an official in regard to their office, or by a person in the administration of justice, such as a lawyer, witness, or juror; malfeasance.
A complaint was filed against the prosecutor, alleging misconduct in the case.
verb (used with object)
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to mismanage.
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to misbehave (oneself ).
noun
verb
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to conduct (oneself) in such a way
-
to manage (something) badly
Etymology
Origin of misconduct
Explanation
Misconduct is any kind of bad, unethical, or illegal activity. When there's misconduct, someone is doing something wrong. Since conduct is behavior, misconduct is behavior that's not quite right: some kind of shady or criminal conduct. If an accountant cooked the books — lied about finances — that's misconduct. A police officer taking a bribe is guilty of misconduct. Often, misconduct specifically refers to someone who does improper things on behalf of someone else, like the misconduct of a dishonest lawyer.
Vocabulary lists containing misconduct
mis-
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Simply Scandalous!
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mis-
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hill pleaded guilty to misconduct, perjury and obstruction of justice, and Alex Murdaugh is suing her for civil-rights violations.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026
Hill had previously pleaded guilty to misconduct in office, perjury and obstruction of justice and had been forced from a job she loved.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026
In reality, he was an ex-military police officer who’d been dismissed for misconduct.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
Trump’s Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer also resigned amid a misconduct probe.
From Salon • May 22, 2026
All sorts of people were contacting us with wide-ranging claims of corruption and misconduct.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
