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
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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
A pitch-framing specialist with rare agility behind the plate, Wolters must coax pitchers through Coors Field and its occasional malefactions.
—Orange County Register, 1 Apr. 2017
Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2022
A pitch-framing specialist with rare agility behind the plate, Wolters must coax pitchers through Coors Field and its occasional malefactions.
—Orange County Register, 1 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malefaction
Noun
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Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage?—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The bill specifically targeted local jails holding people accused of civil violations.—
Jennifer Mayerle,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
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If the sale does go through, the administration can still use its enforcement powers to make sure any new owner corrects open violations and adheres to rent-stabilization laws.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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These are the words of someone determined not to repeat their father’s sins, someone who wants to be a little different than what a lot of the world might expect of a player with his unique brand of raw power and athleticism.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
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Except, apparently, among the Hoosiers who play football as if not playing football hard would be an unforgivable sin.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Malefaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malefaction. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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