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
Both parties are guilty of this economic malpractice.
—
Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 13 Oct. 2024
This is why the Tolkien estate closely guarded its intellectual property for so long, and serves now as glaring evidence of the kind of creative malpractice its former stewards were concerned about.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
Because settlements are often awarded for personal injury, wrongful death, or medical malpractice, structured settlements can be tailored to ensure that medical care, cost of living, and other various needs are met.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 18 Sep. 2024
The wrongful death and medical malpractice complaint accuses Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford of negligence.
—CBS News, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for malpractice 
Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 13 Oct. 2024
This is why the Tolkien estate closely guarded its intellectual property for so long, and serves now as glaring evidence of the kind of creative malpractice its former stewards were concerned about.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
Because settlements are often awarded for personal injury, wrongful death, or medical malpractice, structured settlements can be tailored to ensure that medical care, cost of living, and other various needs are met.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 18 Sep. 2024
The wrongful death and medical malpractice complaint accuses Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford of negligence.
—CBS News, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for malpractice
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'malpractice.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near malpractice
Cite this Entry
“Malpractice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malpractice. Accessed 4 Nov. 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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