misdeed

noun

mis·​deed ˌmis-ˈdēd How to pronounce misdeed (audio)
: a wrong deed : offense

Examples of misdeed in a Sentence

She threatened to expose to the public the misdeeds he had committed. punished for her misdeeds by the church elders
Recent Examples on the Web Edward McCaskey Dublin Trump’s Jan. 6 misdeeds weren’t ‘official duties’ Donald Trump says his actions before and during Jan. 6 were part of his presidential duties. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2024 This includes a background free of significant criminal offenses or financial misdeeds that could question a candidate’s ability to uphold the profession’s ethical standards. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024 In fact, Cold War misdeeds gave rise to a complex of legal and administrative constraints—from prohibitions on political assassination to requirements to notify congressional committees about covert action—that mostly remain in place today. Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Right Now Following the flap, Demna offered penance for his misdeeds. Nathan Taylor Pemberton, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2024 The captive spins her a story and shows her evidence of her father's misdeeds, but a skeptical Lauren digs deeper to uncover an even more complicated and damning history. Danny Horn, EW.com, 4 Jan. 2024 Klansmen, who were unaccustomed to being called to account for their misdeeds, quickly folded. Daniel Foster, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023 In early January, Wayne LaPierre, the longtime head of the National Rifle Association, and Donald Trump were one floor apart in the civil branch of the New York State Supreme Court, each on trial for a range of financial misdeeds. Mike Spies, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2024 Nor should teachers flinch from illuminating the darker corners of our story and providing context about how those misdeeds still impact our present. Jeff Raikes, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misdeed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misdeed was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near misdeed

Cite this Entry

“Misdeed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misdeed. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

misdeed

noun
mis·​deed (ˈ)mis-ˈdēd How to pronounce misdeed (audio)
: an evil or illegal deed

More from Merriam-Webster on misdeed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!