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.

Synonyms

• misbehavior
• misconduct
• misdoing
• wrongdoing

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

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 is unconstitutional. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2025

The first asserted that the bureau’s management structure, with no board and a single director who could be removed by a president only for inefficiency or malfeasance, was unconstitutional. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2025

And waiting any longer to dump Alexander would border on management malfeasance In the last four seasons, Alexander has missed 34 of a potential 68 games. —Rob Reischel, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025

Was Enron, a company that became synonymous with corporate malfeasance, really about to unleash nuclear reactors into homes around the world? —Victor Mather, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

mal- + obsolete feasance doing, execution

First Known Use

1663, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for malfeasance

• defeasance
• misfeasance
• nonfeasance
• treasons

Kids 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