malpractice
noun
mal·prac·tice
ˌmal-ˈprak-təs 
1
: a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an ordinary degree of professional skill or learning by one (such as a physician) rendering professional services which results in injury, loss, or damage
2
: an injurious, negligent, or improper practice : malfeasance
Examples of malpractice in a Sentence
a surgeon accused of malpractice
Doctors need to have malpractice insurance to protect themselves against lawsuits.
Recent Examples on the Web
To not record something like this would be malpractice at this point, on both sides.
—
ABC News, 27 July 2025
The Importance Of Operational Compliance In the news, major compliance issues are often viewed through the lens of isolated incidents: privacy breaches, fraud investigations or malpractice claims.
—Jesse Corn, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
The eye doctor is also currently the respondent in a medical malpractice lawsuit in Martin County, records show.
—Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 19 July 2025
Whether the result of a car accident, medical malpractice, child custody battle, or other issues, facing a situation where legal support is needed can feel stressful and overwhelming.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for malpractice
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.
ABC News, 27 July 2025
The Importance Of Operational Compliance In the news, major compliance issues are often viewed through the lens of isolated incidents: privacy breaches, fraud investigations or malpractice claims.
—Jesse Corn, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
The eye doctor is also currently the respondent in a medical malpractice lawsuit in Martin County, records show.
—Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 19 July 2025
Whether the result of a car accident, medical malpractice, child custody battle, or other issues, facing a situation where legal support is needed can feel stressful and overwhelming.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for malpractice
Cite this Entry
“Malpractice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malpractice. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
malpractice
noun
mal·prac·tice
(ˈ)mal-ˈprak-təs
: violation of professional standards especially by carelessness or improper conduct
Medical Definition
malpractice
1 of 2 noun
mal·prac·tice
(ˈ)mal-ˈprak-təs
: a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an accepted degree of professional skill or learning by a physician rendering professional services which results in injury, loss, or damage
malpractice
2 of 2 intransitive verb
malpracticed; malpracticing
: to engage in or commit malpractice
Legal Definition
malpractice
noun
mal·prac·tice
ˌmal-ˈprak-təs
: negligence, misconduct, lack of ordinary skill, or a breach of duty in the performance of a professional service (as in medicine) resulting in injury or loss
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share