1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

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
  • Anti-immigrant marches and vigilante groups have driven a wave of social upheaval in South Africa this year, often blaming foreign migrants for the country's high crime rate.
    — Rael Ombuor The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The poll also showed that crime did not crack the top five most important issues.
    — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of crime
Noun
  • The order warned any construction or demolition before the NPS issues final authorization would be a violation of the court.
    — Kristin Wright, NPR, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Former Edison football coach Dave White remembers suspending his team’s best player before a trip to Hawaii for a team rule violation.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of violation
Noun
  • Not sure when short field goal attempts became a sin, but this is now a trend.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Kaporos is intended to symbolize the transfer of one’s sins to a chicken.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 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 23 Sep. 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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All