malefaction

noun

ˌma-lə-ˈfak-shən How to pronounce malefaction (audio)
Definition of malefactionnext
as in crime
a breaking of a moral or legal code the town treasurer has been linked to the kickback scheme and other financial malefactions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of malefaction And the principle remains that representing a malefactor isn’t, ipso facto, an act of malefaction. — Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malefaction
  1. crime
  2. violation
  3. sin
Noun
  • Chainalysis attributes 84% of illicit crypto transaction volume to stablecoins, the endpoint of a shift the crime economy started making years ago, and stablecoins now settle more monthly volume than ACH.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The case is drawing attention to youth crime and the juvenile justice system, raising questions about how young offenders are held accountable.
    — Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of crime
Noun
  • The lawsuit asserts claims for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and violations of state and local laws protecting freelance workers, as well as California’s Unfair Competition Law.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Grisham is currently suing Miller over violations of the terms of a confidential settlement related to his defamation case against her.
    — Rachel Scott, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of violation
Noun
  • Seven of our contributors gamely shared (some of) their secret sins.
    — Sabrina Jaszi, The Dial, 4 Aug. 2026
  • And, no, being a writer isn’t a sin, but, at least in my extended family, stories are sacred, and who gets to tell them is of great importance.
    — Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of sin

Browse Nearby Words

maledicts
malefaction
malefactions
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Malefaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malefaction. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gnomic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All