malfeasance
noun
mal·fea·sance
ˌmal-ˈfē-zᵊn(t)s 
: wrongdoing or misconduct especially by a public official
The investigation has uncovered evidence of corporate malfeasance.
Examples of malfeasance in a Sentence
The investigation has uncovered evidence of corporate malfeasance.
a campaign to impeach the governor for malfeasance in office
Recent Examples on the Web
This doesn’t mean that day-care fraud has not taken place in Minneapolis—there’s a years-long history of such malfeasance, and both state and federal law enforcement have convicted dozens of offenders, as Kash Patel subsequently pointed out.
—
Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2026
In the past year, some out-of-power former officials and their allies have been implying the 2024 audit is so severely late because of incompetence or malfeasance.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2026
Washington and its allies should systematically call out these divisions, as well as the deep resentments felt within regimes over malfeasance and corruption, aiming to drive wedges between the elites and the ruler.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Trump fired both within weeks of taking office but did not cite any permissible reason, such as neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.
—Andrea Hsu, NPR, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malfeasance
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Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2026
In the past year, some out-of-power former officials and their allies have been implying the 2024 audit is so severely late because of incompetence or malfeasance.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2026
Washington and its allies should systematically call out these divisions, as well as the deep resentments felt within regimes over malfeasance and corruption, aiming to drive wedges between the elites and the ruler.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Trump fired both within weeks of taking office but did not cite any permissible reason, such as neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.
—Andrea Hsu, NPR, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malfeasance
Cite this Entry
“Malfeasance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malfeasance. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
malfeasance
noun
mal·fea·sance
(ˈ)mal-ˈfēz-ᵊn(t)s
: wrongful conduct especially by a public official
Legal Definition
malfeasance
noun
mal·fea·sance
ˌmal-ˈfēz-ᵊns
: the commission (as by a public official) of a wrongful or unlawful act involving or affecting the performance of one's duties compare misfeasance, nonfeasance
Etymology
mal- bad + obsolete English feasance doing, execution, from Old French faisance, from fais-, stem of faire to make, do, from Latin facere
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