misconduct
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.bad or illegal behavior by a person in a position of power or a professional job.
n.improper, illegal, or unethical conduct by a professional or official person. Often uncountable in this sense.
Simple“The lawyer was fired after the committee found evidence of professional misconduct.”
In context“The investigation into judicial misconduct revealed that the judge had a significant financial interest in the outcome of the trial.”
UsageOften appears in the phrase 'professional misconduct' or 'gross misconduct'.
SynonymsAntonymsprobityrectitude - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.behavior that is wrong or breaks the rules, often in a school or workplace.
n.behavior that violates established rules or social norms, typically within an institutional framework.
Simple“The student was suspended for serious misconduct during the school trip.”
In context“The company handbook clearly outlines the disciplinary procedures for employees accused of sexual misconduct in the workplace.”
SynonymsmisbehaviornaughtinessAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
v.to manage a business, project, or situation very poorly.
v.to manage or conduct something in an incompetent or dishonest manner. Transitive, requiring a direct object.
Simple“The director was accused of having misconducted the company's financial affairs.”
In context“The opposition party argued that the prime minister had misconducted the negotiations, leading to a diplomatic crisis.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
v.to behave in a way that is not acceptable or polite.
v.to behave improperly or inappropriately. Often used reflexively (to misconduct oneself).
Simple“He was warned that if he misconducted himself again, he would be asked to leave.”
In context“The diplomat was recalled to his home country after reports surfaced that he had misconducted himself at the gala.”
UsageFrequently used with a reflexive pronoun like 'himself' or 'themselves'.
SynonymsmisbehaveAntonyms
“The results are warning signals, not confirmed findings of misconduct, and each case still needs to be reviewed by human experts.”
“In the report, UNAMA documented instances where the de facto authorities conducted arrests and investigations of reported misconduct of security personnel – some of which were referred to Taliban military courts.”
From mis- + conduct (noun sense).
From mis- + conduct (verb sense).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.