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View synonyms for malfeasance

malfeasance

[ mal-fee-zuhns ]

noun

, Law.
  1. the performance of an act that is legally unjustified, harmful, or contrary to law, especially by a public official or a person in a position of public trust. Compare misfeasance ( def 2 ), nonfeasance ( def ).


malfeasance

/ mælˈfiːzəns /

noun

  1. law the doing of a wrongful or illegal act, esp by a public official Compare misfeasance nonfeasance


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Derived Forms

  • malˈfeasant, nounadjective

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Other Words From

  • mal·fea·sant adjective noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of malfeasance1

First recorded in 1660–70; earlier malefeasance. See male-, feasance

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Word History and Origins

Origin of malfeasance1

C17: from Old French mal faisant, from mal evil + faisant doing, from faire to do, from Latin facere

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Compare Meanings

How does malfeasance compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Example Sentences

He’s a boxing trainer whose wife dies because of a pharmaceutical company’s greed and malfeasance—and because she has cancer.

From Time

Digital currencies will help governments fight malfeasance, smooth the transfer of assets across borders, and enable central banks to deal directly with citizens—especially helpful in times of crisis.

From Time

He seemed personally enraged by public malfeasance and corruption by public officials.

Its elections long have been flagged for malfeasance and misadministration.

From Time

In this regard, the latest updates make it even more difficult for companies to get away with this type of malfeasance.

From Digiday

The commission has accused Yingluck of malfeasance in a rice-subsidy program aimed at improving the incomes of Thai rice farmers.

The prime minister must appear before the anti-corruption commission on February 27 to answer the malfeasance charges.

Allegations of malfeasance against Raheen continue to surface.

In the weeklong trial, the Pittsburgh lawyer laid out the most devastating account of corporate malfeasance.

Arguably that question points to a much larger problem than Stapel's malfeasance.

I never heard of any of them being removed for incompetency, dereliction of duty or malfeasance.

The knowledge of this added treachery hath come to me but recently; and this also was of Rizzo's malfeasance.

Removals were made for neglect of duty, malfeasance in office, refusing to obey orders, and obstructing Reconstruction.

Don Nicholas de Ovando pleaded smoothly the Sovereign's most strict command which in any to disobey were plain malfeasance!

At Sienna he learned that his house had been pillaged and burned and he himself had been accused of malfeasance in office.

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malevolentmalfeasant