malfeasance

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˌmæˈlfiːzəns/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    Wrongdoing or misconduct, especially by a public official or someone in a position of authority; the performance of an act that is illegal or wrongful.; In law, the commission of an act that is expressly prohibited by law, as distinguished from misfeasance (improper performance of a lawful act) or nonfeasance (failure to perform a required act).; Any act of wrongdoing or evil conduct; a wicked or criminal act.

🔗 Details

Word forms

uncountable

Collocations

official malfeasancecorporate malfeasancefinancial malfeasancepolitical malfeasancecharges of malfeasanceallegations of malfeasance

Derivatives

malfeasant

Synonyms

misconductwrongdoingcorruptionimproprietymalpracticemisdeed

Antonyms

proprietyintegrity

Commonly confused

misfeasance
EN: 'Misfeasance' is the improper performance of a lawful act, while 'malfeasance' is the commission of an unlawful or wrongful act.
nonfeasance
EN: 'Nonfeasance' is the failure to perform a required duty, while 'malfeasance' is actively doing something wrongful.
malpractice
EN: 'Malpractice' specifically refers to professional negligence or misconduct (especially medical/legal), while 'malfeasance' is broader wrongdoing, often by public officials.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the 'ea' in '-feasance' (from Latin 'facere', to do). Do not write '*malfesance' or '*malfeasence'.

💬 Examples

  1. The mayor was removed from office after evidence of financial malfeasance came to light.

  2. The court distinguished between malfeasance, misfeasance, and nonfeasance in determining the officer's liability.

  3. The investigation uncovered years of corporate malfeasance at the highest levels of the company.