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
Street graduated from the University of Idaho in 2012, and now works for Lister Frost Injury Lawyers, handling personal injury, medical malpractice and other types of civil litigation.
—
Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 13 May 2026
Their doctors are shady enough that multiple law firms have arms devoted to maritime medical malpractice.
—Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026
Putting greater stress on small refineries at this moment in time by expanding E15 mandates would arguably be a form of pure policy malpractice.
—David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
The first wife of the high-profile lawyer who specialized in winning medical malpractice cases was serving a 32-year-to-life prison sentence for the 1989 killing of her former husband and his wife, Linda.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for malpractice
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Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 13 May 2026
Their doctors are shady enough that multiple law firms have arms devoted to maritime medical malpractice.
—Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026
Putting greater stress on small refineries at this moment in time by expanding E15 mandates would arguably be a form of pure policy malpractice.
—David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
The first wife of the high-profile lawyer who specialized in winning medical malpractice cases was serving a 32-year-to-life prison sentence for the 1989 killing of her former husband and his wife, Linda.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for malpractice
Cite this Entry
“Malpractice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malpractice. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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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