misconduct

noun

mis·​con·​duct ˌmis-ˈkän-(ˌ)dəkt How to pronounce misconduct (audio)
1
: mismanagement especially of governmental or military responsibilities
2
: intentional wrongdoing
specifically : deliberate violation of a law or standard especially by a government official : malfeasance
3
a
: improper behavior
b
4
: a penalty (as in ice hockey) for improper behavior or abusive language (as toward an official)
misconduct transitive verb

Examples of misconduct in a Sentence

He was forced to defend himself against charges of sexual misconduct. There have been reports of misconduct by several employees.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Underly requested no additional funding specifically for educator misconduct investigations. Danielle Duclos, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025 For example, female officers are less likely to be named in citizen complaints and misconduct reports than male officers, the report said. Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 17 Oct. 2025 This story shows that even when judges grow frustrated with prosecutors’ misconduct, their tools are limited. Micah Kimball, Denver Post, 16 Oct. 2025 Court documents did not provide further detail on the investigation into Agoston's misconduct. Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for misconduct

Word History

First Known Use

1705, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misconduct was in 1705

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Misconduct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misconduct. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

misconduct

noun
mis·​con·​duct (ˈ)mis-ˈkän-(ˌ)dəkt How to pronounce misconduct (audio)
1
: bad management
2
: improper or unlawful behavior
misconduct verb

Legal Definition

misconduct

noun
mis·​con·​duct mis-ˈkän-dəkt How to pronounce misconduct (audio)
: intentional or wanton wrongful but usually not criminal behavior: as
a
: deliberate or wanton violation of standards of conduct by a government official
b
: wrongful behavior (as adultery) by a spouse that leads to the dissolution of the marriage
c
: an attorney's violation of the standards set for professional conduct
also : an attorney's and especially a prosecutor's use of deceptive or reprehensible methods in presenting a case to a jury
d
: impermissible behavior by a juror (as communicating about the case with outsiders, witnesses, or others, reading or hearing news reports about the case, or independently introducing evidence to other jurors)
e
: an employee's deliberate or wanton disregard of an employer's interests or disregard or violation of the employer's standards or rules that is sufficient to justify a denial of unemployment compensation

More from Merriam-Webster on misconduct

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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