MISCONDUCT Synonyms: 99 Similar and Opposite Words

misconduct 1 of 2

noun

ˌmis-ˈkän-(ˌ)dəkt

Definition of misconduct

as in wrongdoing

improper or illegal behavior some rough play got the hockey player fined for misconduct on the ice

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in adultery

a sexual encounter or relationship between a married person and someone other than their spouse both parties cited misconduct as the reason for the divorce

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

misconduct

2 of 2

verb

as in to abuse

to manage badly misconducted the polar expedition and paid for his mistakes with his life

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 misconduct

Noun

Andrew was then arrested on February 19—his 66th birthday—on suspicion of misconduct in public office. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 1 July 2026 Her death leaves a hole in the San Diego County journalism community, which has struggled to keep up with reporting on waste and misconduct across local governments as news outlets adjust to shifting economic models. — Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2026

Verb

In addition, referees were instructed to apply the rules regarding fouls and misconducts more strictly – a move meant to protect players and their inventiveness. — Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for misconduct

Recent Examples of Synonyms for misconduct

Noun

Walmart's agreement to the settlement doesn't constitute an admission of any wrongdoing, according to the document.

— Serenah McKay, Arkansas Online, 8 July 2026
In the civil litigation, which remains ongoing, the doctor, Providence and Kadlec all deny wrongdoing.

— Ashley Hiruko, ProPublica, 8 July 2026

Definition of wrongdoing

Verb

For more on how attackers can abuse connected devices, see our report on how the FBI warned that more than 1 million Android devices were hijacked by malware.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Some dogs fear brooms, vacuum cleaners or other household products, particularly if they’ve been hurt or abused in the past.

— BestReviews, Mercury News, 2 July 2026

Definition of abuse

Noun

The professor was horrified by what appeared to be massive cheating in his course—cheating that was preventing most of the students from learning the material.

— Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026
The central educational challenge of the coming decade is therefore not simply preventing cheating, but rebuilding cultures in which learning itself is once again perceived as inherently valuable, personally transformative, and socially essential.

— Jason Benedict, Fortune, 7 July 2026

Definition of cheating

Verb

Some of these storms could be severe and deliver damaging wind gusts, but any thunderstorm will contain lightning — a major danger for any outdoor activities, especially for anyone trying to escape the heat in or on the water.

— Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
Diseases that damage the kidneys and impair their ability to filter blood were blamed for 55,081 deaths in 2024.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026

Definition of damage

Verb

Judge Sullivan concluded in his June 25 decision to order Blanche to release more information or explain himself that Blanche had likely violated the transparency law.

— Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Guests were reportedly required to sign nondisclosure agreements before receiving any event details (although the NDAs were said not to have included any penalties for violating the terms).

— Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

Definition of violate

Verb

Founders often mismanage their crucial first sales hire, mistakenly seeking candidates suited for large corporations.

— Kate Morgan, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Target has been criticized for mismanaging inventory, under-investing in stores and falling behind on the trendy, eye-catching merchandise the retailer built its name on.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 22 June 2026

Definition of mismanage

Cite this Entry

Style

“Misconduct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misconduct. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of misconduct

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on misconduct

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

effulgence

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes