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
One story revealed that three patients of California plastic surgeon Heidi Regenass died within a few months after liposuction and fat transfer operations, according to medical malpractice lawsuits filed in California courts.
—
Fred Schulte, NBC news, 10 Mar. 2026
That would have been malpractice.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
But then the playoffs commenced, wherein Hiller committed coaching malpractice.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
Some of that failure rate is attributable to statistical malpractice or publication pressure.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malpractice
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Fred Schulte, NBC news, 10 Mar. 2026
That would have been malpractice.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
But then the playoffs commenced, wherein Hiller committed coaching malpractice.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
Some of that failure rate is attributable to statistical malpractice or publication pressure.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malpractice
Cite this Entry
“Malpractice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malpractice. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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
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