1
as in crime
a breaking of a moral or legal code
the sordid misdoings of the city councilman were exposed as a result of an intense investigation by the local newspaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wrongdoing
improper or illegal behavior
kept a watchful eye for any misdoing by the members of the clergy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of misdoing
When Whitney accuses her of lying to cover up her misdoings, everything explodes.
—
Tom Smyth, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
Certainly in the reign of J. Edgar Hoover, the role of the bureaucracy, and Hoover’s role actually, was more often to aid Presidents in their misdoings, amid some of his own.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2019
An American journalist seeking to write about the rich celebrities instead learns about financial, political and treasonous misdoings – even murder.
—Carole Goldberg, courant.com, 3 July 2019
Yet, the very reality of 2018 is that Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court Justice nomination pushed the seemingly consequence-free misdoings of those attending the country’s elite prep schools into the news cycle.
—Veronica Walsingham, Teen Vogue, 5 Oct. 2018
This is not the first time Facebook has had to publicly increase previous estimates of misdoings on its platform.
—Issie Lapowsky, WIRED, 4 Apr. 2018
South Korean politicians accused of misdoing often apologize for causing trouble while still denying wrongdoing.
—Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2018
All of the angst could have been avoided if not for some political misdoings.
—Joe Haakenson, Daily Pilot, 21 Dec. 2017
Reports about financial misdoings, the possible collapse of venerable institutions, rising unemployment caused by advanced technology — all of these affected the psychology of spending.
—Robert J. Shiller, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2016
Tom Smyth, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
Certainly in the reign of J. Edgar Hoover, the role of the bureaucracy, and Hoover’s role actually, was more often to aid Presidents in their misdoings, amid some of his own.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2019
An American journalist seeking to write about the rich celebrities instead learns about financial, political and treasonous misdoings – even murder.
—Carole Goldberg, courant.com, 3 July 2019
Yet, the very reality of 2018 is that Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court Justice nomination pushed the seemingly consequence-free misdoings of those attending the country’s elite prep schools into the news cycle.
—Veronica Walsingham, Teen Vogue, 5 Oct. 2018
This is not the first time Facebook has had to publicly increase previous estimates of misdoings on its platform.
—Issie Lapowsky, WIRED, 4 Apr. 2018
South Korean politicians accused of misdoing often apologize for causing trouble while still denying wrongdoing.
—Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2018
All of the angst could have been avoided if not for some political misdoings.
—Joe Haakenson, Daily Pilot, 21 Dec. 2017
Reports about financial misdoings, the possible collapse of venerable institutions, rising unemployment caused by advanced technology — all of these affected the psychology of spending.
—Robert J. Shiller, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misdoing
Noun
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Last month, her government unveiled a legal reform allowing the deportation of foreigners who have been sentenced to at least one year of unconditional imprisonment for serious crimes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Sometimes a provider’s NPI is used without their knowledge or consent, a crime known as NPI theft that is commonly committed to facilitate Medicaid fraud.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Uthmeier has denied wrongdoing and claimed victory in defeating the amendments.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
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Neither man has yet been charged, and both deny wrongdoing, but should police investigations proceed to prosecution, this vague and complex offence could be challenging for lawyers to prove.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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State media quoted Kim saying that any violation of the country’s sovereignty would trigger immediate retaliatory strikes.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
-
ByteDance has faced backlash from major Hollywood studios, including Disney and Paramount, for intellectual property violations surrounding its AI video-making tool Seedance.—
Lola Murti,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The session was the latest in a series of forums the Democratic lawmakers have held to highlight DHS misconduct.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
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Attia's departure came to light on the same day that police in London arrested Britain's former ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, on suspicion of misconduct in public office.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Reading Nicholas Mosley’s nonfiction reveals a writer concerned with the sins of the past, with political maneuvering at the highest levels of government, and of personal and ideological betrayals.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Feb. 2026
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Robert Bresson, in seeking the essence of sin and grace in the slightest gesture, largely eschewed professionals in order to distill performance to embodiment.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misdoing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misdoing. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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