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misconduct

mis-KON-dukt /mɪsˈkɒndʌkt/

nounC1

Formal

Unacceptable or improper behavior, especially by an employee or professional.

Can range from minor infractions to serious offenses (gross misconduct) that warrant immediate dismissal.

The story behind the word. "Misconduct" comes from the prefix mis- (meaning "bad" or "wrong") combined with "conduct" (from Latin conducere, meaning "to lead together, bring together"). So, it literally means "bad leading" or "bad behavior," referring to actions that are improperly led or carried out.

Word relationships

impropriety: More formal, often refers to breaches of social or moral standards.
wrongdoing: Broader term for any unethical or illegal act.
malfeasance: Specific to public officials or fiduciaries, meaning illegal or dishonest act.

good conduct: Proper and acceptable behavior.
integrity: Adherence to moral and ethical principles.

Commonly confused with

poor performance: 'Misconduct' implies a deliberate breach of rules or ethics; 'poor performance' is about inability to meet job standards.

Word family

misbehave (verb): To behave badly.
conduct (verb): To organize and carry out.

Collocations

gross misconduct
professional misconduct
sexual misconduct
serious misconduct
investigate misconduct

Example sentences

"The employee was fired for gross misconduct after it was discovered he had been embezzling company funds." Leading to dismissal.
"The committee investigated claims of professional misconduct against the doctor." General behavior.

Memory hook

Misconduct is when your conduct is mis-taken or wrong. Bad conduct.

When not to use

Don't use for poor performance that isn't intentional or a breach of rules; use 'poor performance.'

Fun facts

Many employee handbooks have detailed sections outlining what constitutes "misconduct" and the disciplinary actions that may follow.