malfeasance

noun mal·fea·sance \ ˌmal-ˈfē-zᵊn(t)s \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of malfeasance

: wrongdoing or misconduct especially by a public official

The investigation has uncovered evidence of corporate malfeasance.

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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 of malfeasance from the Web

The handful of instances of census malfeasance in the past — notably involving Japanese Americans in the 1940s and, according to some advocates, Arab Americans in the 2000s — have all led to stringent increases in privacy law strictness afterward.

— lyman stone, Vox, "Why it’s perfectly fine to ask about citizenship status on the census," 5 Apr. 2018
Trump, with recent Twitter-fueled allegations of FBI malfeasance, is not likely to be the last.

— peter grier, The Christian Science Monitor, "The perennial presidential urge to bring FBI 'under control'," 29 Mar. 2018
These bills often come up year after year without the Legislature approving the money owed to victims of neglect, abuse and malfeasance blamed in some part on government employees.

— staff and wire reports, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Parents of South Florida boy shot and killed at school 20 years ago get settlement from state," 27 Mar. 2018
Both sergeants were booked with felony malfeasance in office and resigned their positions at the prison, officials said.

— laura mcknight, NOLA.com, "4 Angola officers accused of drug-smuggling, 'inappropriate behavior:' state officials," 21 Mar. 2018
Facebook’s apparent indifference to Cambridge Analytica’s malfeasance for the past two years is an acknowledgment of this basic reality.

— alex shephard, The New Republic, "Cambridge Analytica Is Shady. But Facebook is Shadier.," 20 Mar. 2018
In October 2015, a former police officer pleaded guilty to malfeasance and obstruction of justice charges related to Holloway’s death.

— Washington Post, "Trial begins anew for feces-smearing suspect in cop’s death," 14 Mar. 2018
Loyd Eskildson's concerns, posted on Facebook and in submissions to another media outlet, largely centered on allegations of malfeasance in school construction spending and the district's unresponsiveness to records requests.

— yihyun jeong, azcentral, "Scottsdale schools leaders were 'bullying the messengers,' say residents who complained," 8 Mar. 2018
The offices will support the secretary’s new authority to fire or demote poorly performing employees and recoup pay, benefits and awards in cases of malfeasance.

— michael collins, USA TODAY, "Massive spending bill spans thousands of pages, with programs that touch nearly every American," 22 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'malfeasance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of malfeasance

mal- + obsolete feasance doing, execution

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1663

See Words from the same year

malfeasance Synonyms

Synonyms

misbehavior, misconduct, misdoing, wrongdoing;

malpractice;

goings-on, hanky-panky;

familiarity, impropriety, indiscretion;

blunder, flub, fumble, goof, lapse, miscue, misstep, mistake, slip, slipup, stumble;

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, modus operandi

Financial Definition of MALFEASANCE

malfeasance

noun

What It Is

Malfeasance is the legal term for intentionally doing something that is illegal.

How It Works

Let's say John Doe is Jane Smith's broker. John really wants to keep Jane Smith as a client, and he is in charge of her managed account, which means he can buy and sell for her account without her prior approval.

John decides that he wants to increase the returns in Jane's account, so he gets a tip from his buddy, Jake Johnson, who is the CFO of Company XYZ and who tells him that Company XYZ is about to be acquired by Company ABC. John takes this piece of insider information and buys 10,000 shares of Company XYZ for Jane's account. As expected, the stock price of Company XYZ soars 50% after Company ABC announces its acquisition plan five days later. Jane's account makes $200,000.

John has intentionally done something illegal (trade on insider information) that he knows could harm Jane if caught. This is malfeasance.

Why It Matters

Malfeasance is a term often connected to political figures, and it is hard to prove.

Source: Investing Answers

MALFEASANCE Defined for English Language Learners

malfeasance

noun

Definition of malfeasance for English Language Learners

law : illegal or dishonest activity especially by a public official or a corporation

Law Dictionary

malfeasance

noun mal·fea·sance \ ˌmal-ˈfēz-ᵊns \

legal Definition of malfeasance

: 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