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
Skyrocketing dollar amounts could give an observer the idea that the pace of medical malpractice litigation is up—yet the opposite is true.
—
Glen Luke Flanagan, Fortune, 5 July 2024
Pitre, a medical malpractice attorney who has taken CPR classes, then applied a tourniquet to Harris-Buckner’s leg.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 25 June 2024
Know when — and when not — to use a rewards credit card
Rising malpractice premiums price small clinics out of gender-affirming care for minors
Mammography AI can cost patients extra.
—Hartford Courant, 13 June 2024
The term describes periods like this one, in which the costs of medical malpractice claim resolution are increasing faster than general inflation.
—Glen Luke Flanagan, Fortune, 5 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for malpractice 
Glen Luke Flanagan, Fortune, 5 July 2024
Pitre, a medical malpractice attorney who has taken CPR classes, then applied a tourniquet to Harris-Buckner’s leg.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 25 June 2024
Know when — and when not — to use a rewards credit card
Rising malpractice premiums price small clinics out of gender-affirming care for minors
Mammography AI can cost patients extra.
—Hartford Courant, 13 June 2024
The term describes periods like this one, in which the costs of medical malpractice claim resolution are increasing faster than general inflation.
—Glen Luke Flanagan, Fortune, 5 July 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 19 Aug. 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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