malfeasance
noun
mal·fea·sance
ˌmal-ˈfē-zᵊn(t)s 
: wrongdoing or misconduct especially by a public official
The investigation has uncovered evidence of corporate malfeasance.
Examples of malfeasance in a Sentence
The investigation has uncovered evidence of corporate malfeasance.
a campaign to impeach the governor for malfeasance in office
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples of regulatory malfeasance occurred during both the Obama and the Biden administrations.
—
Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
As evidence of malfeasance, Donna Arduin, the new chief financial officer, wrote in an e-mail to staff that Rutter and her team had bequeathed the center an operating deficit of more than a hundred million dollars.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2025
The Democrats both argued that Trump’s move violated a federal law stating that commissioners can only be removed for cause, such as neglect or malfeasance in office.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 19 Mar. 2025
Most notably in 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's structure of a single leader removable only for inefficiency, neglect or malfeasance was unconstitutional.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malfeasance
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Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
As evidence of malfeasance, Donna Arduin, the new chief financial officer, wrote in an e-mail to staff that Rutter and her team had bequeathed the center an operating deficit of more than a hundred million dollars.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2025
The Democrats both argued that Trump’s move violated a federal law stating that commissioners can only be removed for cause, such as neglect or malfeasance in office.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 19 Mar. 2025
Most notably in 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's structure of a single leader removable only for inefficiency, neglect or malfeasance was unconstitutional.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malfeasance
Cite this Entry
“Malfeasance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malfeasance. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
malfeasance
noun
mal·fea·sance
(ˈ)mal-ˈfēz-ᵊn(t)s
: wrongful conduct especially by a public official
Legal Definition
malfeasance
noun
mal·fea·sance
ˌmal-ˈfēz-ᵊns
: the commission (as by a public official) of a wrongful or unlawful act involving or affecting the performance of one's duties compare misfeasance, nonfeasance
Etymology
mal- bad + obsolete English feasance doing, execution, from Old French faisance, from fais-, stem of faire to make, do, from Latin facere
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