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
That fallacy would be legal malpractice if argued by Loudermilk as a private lawyer.
—
Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 5 Jan. 2025
Among the typical parsing of medical malpractice provisions, oil and gas leases, divorce settlements and sovereign immunity protections, the high court has a number of more attention-grabbing cases on its docket this year.
—Eleanor Klibanoff, Austin American-Statesman, 30 Dec. 2024
Doc's medical license has been suspended, and his clinic is under scrutiny by the California State Medical Board after a malpractice case was opened against him.
—Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
Jurors in New Mexico have awarded a man more than $412 million in a medical malpractice case that involved a men's health clinic that operates in several states.
—CBS News, 28 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for malpractice 
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Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 5 Jan. 2025
Among the typical parsing of medical malpractice provisions, oil and gas leases, divorce settlements and sovereign immunity protections, the high court has a number of more attention-grabbing cases on its docket this year.
—Eleanor Klibanoff, Austin American-Statesman, 30 Dec. 2024
Doc's medical license has been suspended, and his clinic is under scrutiny by the California State Medical Board after a malpractice case was opened against him.
—Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
Jurors in New Mexico have awarded a man more than $412 million in a medical malpractice case that involved a men's health clinic that operates in several states.
—CBS News, 28 Nov. 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 18 Jan. 2025.
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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