misconduct

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UK/mɪsˈkɒndʌkt/Atlantic Canada, US/mɪsˈkɑndʌkt/UK/mɪsˈkɔndʌkt//mɪskənˈdʌkt/

noun

Behavior that is considered to be unacceptable.

“The student was banned from using the university's computing resources for two weeks due to gross misconduct on the Internet.”

Less commonFirst used 18th c.Scrabble 17

Meanings

misconduct1

nounmisconduct (usually uncountable, plural misconducts)

plural misconducts

  1. uncountableusuallyBehavior that is considered to be unacceptable.

    The student was banned from using the university's computing resources for two weeks due to gross misconduct on the Internet.

  2. uncountableusuallyA penalty or write-up for improper behavior.

    There is definitely an indication of retaliation in this case. I have never received a misconduct for possessing or using drugs.

    1989 December 17, Edward Inman, “Disobeying An Order To Piss Lands Transsexual In Isolation”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 23, page 5
    1 more example

    After Jonathan Marchessault buried an empty-net goal with 90 seconds left in overtime, Hartman yelled from the bench and allegedly threw his stick in the officials’ direction. Hartman was assessed a misconduct for abusive language, according to the game sheet.

    2024 March 31, Michael Russo, “Wild’s Ryan Hartman offered hearing for throwing stick in direction of officials”, in New York Times

misconduct2

verbmisconduct (third-person singular simple present misconducts, present participle misconducting, simple past and past participle misconducted)

present singular third person misconducts · participle present misconducting · participle past misconducted · past misconducted

  1. transitiveTo mismanage.First known use 18th c.
  2. reflexiveTo behave inappropriately, to misbehave.First known use 19th c.

    It had been pointed out […] that in the past enemy aliens misconducting themselves had been returned to the internment camp.

    1958, Doris Lessing, A Ripple From the Storm, Harper Perennal, published 1995, page 224
  3. intransitiverareTo act improperly.

    The quartermasters have misconducted, and the government should bear the loss resulting from that misconduct.

    1869, Ebenezer Peck, “Spear v. United States: Dissenting Opinion”, in Charles C. Nott, Samuel H. Huntington, editors, Cases Decided in the Court of Claims of the United States, at the December Term for 1869, volume 5, published 1871, pages 213–14
    2 more examples

    It seems no answer for the recipient to allege that he was incompetent and misconducted, but that the acts were committed outside the jurisdiction.

    1881, William Stawell, “In re Victoria Steam Navigation Board, ex parte Allan”, in George H. F. Webb, editor, The Victorian Law Reports, volumes 7, 1881—XLIV and XLV Victoriæ, published 1882, page 264

    Whether the jury misconducted in making the view of the premises, or whether the court erred in instructing them as to what effect they should give, in making up their verdict, to matters which came under their observation while making the view, does not appear from the record in this case.

    1882, David Taylor, “Boardman and another vs. The Westchester Fire Ins. Co. of New York”, in O. M. Conover, editor, Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of the State of Wisconsin […], volume 54, page 367

Synonyms & antonyms

nounactivity that transgresses moral or civil law

Similar
wrongdoingwrongful conductactus reus
Broader

verbbehave badly

Broader

verbmanage badly or incompetently

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

misconduct · noun

From mis- + conduct (noun sense).

Full word history & related roots →

misconduct · verb

From mis- + conduct (verb sense).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Spanish mala conducta
  • mala conductabad behavior
Cite this entry
APA

misconduct. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misconduct

MLA

“misconduct.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misconduct. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “misconduct,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misconduct.

Source: misconduct on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.