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
They’re meant to look like a small operation, inundated by the weight of their investigation into the work of financial malpractice.
—
Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 23 Feb. 2026
His father was a first-generation Jewish immigrant who grew up poor in Brooklyn and went on to become the king of medical malpractice law in New York, trying more than 300 cases.
—Tom Dotan, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
Details on most criminal charges and medical malpractice lawsuits should be visible on North Carolina’s statewide court records system, eCourts.
—Amber Gaudet
updated February 23, Charlotte Observer, 23 Feb. 2026
Season 7 also sees The Vampire Diaries' Sara Canning join the cast as Victoria, a woman who travels to the town of Virgin River to investigate Doc’s (Tim Matheson) medical dealings, following suspicions of malpractice that bubbled up last season.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malpractice
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Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 23 Feb. 2026
His father was a first-generation Jewish immigrant who grew up poor in Brooklyn and went on to become the king of medical malpractice law in New York, trying more than 300 cases.
—Tom Dotan, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
Details on most criminal charges and medical malpractice lawsuits should be visible on North Carolina’s statewide court records system, eCourts.
—Amber Gaudet
updated February 23, Charlotte Observer, 23 Feb. 2026
Season 7 also sees The Vampire Diaries' Sara Canning join the cast as Victoria, a woman who travels to the town of Virgin River to investigate Doc’s (Tim Matheson) medical dealings, following suspicions of malpractice that bubbled up last season.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 9 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 3 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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