malpractice
noun
mal·prac·tice
ˌmal-ˈprak-təs 
1
: a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an ordinary degree of professional skill or learning by one (such as a physician) rendering professional services which results in injury, loss, or damage
2
: an injurious, negligent, or improper practice : malfeasance
Examples of malpractice in a Sentence
a surgeon accused of malpractice
Doctors need to have malpractice insurance to protect themselves against lawsuits.
Recent Examples on the Web
His deprivation of care is not only medical malpractice, but a violation of his constitutional rights.
—
Lauryn Overhultz, Fox News, 2 Dec. 2024
Jurors awarded the man — who is now in his 70s and has not been named — $412 million in punitive and compensatory damages following the medical malpractice trial in Albuquerque in November 2024.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 28 Nov. 2024
Eventually, the couple hired another lawyer, Adam Wolf, and filed suit against the clinic, alleging medical malpractice, negligence and breach of contract.
—Julia Whelan Krish Seenivasan Lance Neal, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Fact-checking is essential, and its absence would be journalistic malpractice, but video replays of Trump’s falsehoods only reinforce deception.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 12 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for malpractice 
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Lauryn Overhultz, Fox News, 2 Dec. 2024
Jurors awarded the man — who is now in his 70s and has not been named — $412 million in punitive and compensatory damages following the medical malpractice trial in Albuquerque in November 2024.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 28 Nov. 2024
Eventually, the couple hired another lawyer, Adam Wolf, and filed suit against the clinic, alleging medical malpractice, negligence and breach of contract.
—Julia Whelan Krish Seenivasan Lance Neal, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Fact-checking is essential, and its absence would be journalistic malpractice, but video replays of Trump’s falsehoods only reinforce deception.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 12 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for malpractice
Dictionary Entries Near malpractice
Cite this Entry
“Malpractice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malpractice. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
malpractice
noun
mal·prac·tice
(ˈ)mal-ˈprak-təs
: violation of professional standards especially by carelessness or improper conduct
Medical Definition
malpractice
1 of 2 noun
mal·prac·tice
(ˈ)mal-ˈprak-təs
: a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an accepted degree of professional skill or learning by a physician rendering professional services which results in injury, loss, or damage
malpractice
2 of 2 intransitive verb
malpracticed; malpracticing
: to engage in or commit malpractice
Legal Definition
malpractice
noun
mal·prac·tice
ˌmal-ˈprak-təs
: negligence, misconduct, lack of ordinary skill, or a breach of duty in the performance of a professional service (as in medicine) resulting in injury or loss
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