misfeasance
Lawful act, botched
Misfeasance is the improper performance of a lawful act—doing something you're allowed to do, but doing it wrongly or negligently.
A city worker who repairs a road but leaves it in dangerous condition commits misfeasance.
The term sits between nonfeasance (failing to act at all) and malfeasance (doing something outright illegal).
It appears mainly in legal contexts involving breach of duty: The lawsuit alleged misfeasance by the building inspector.
Breaking of rules
- infringementViolation of rights
- oversteppingExceeding appropriate bounds
- misconductImproper professional behavior
- trespassUnauthorized entry onto property
transgression · abuse of authority · imposition · irregularity · infraction · contravention
Actionable civil harm
- liabilityLegal or financial obligation
- culpabilityDeserving blame for wrongdoing
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
- maladministrationFaulty conduct of authority
breach of duty · actionable · public office · official misconduct · damages · remedy · injunction · judicial review
Inattention causing mistakes
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- inattentionLack of focus
- neglectFailure to provide care
- omissionFailure to include
laxity · irresponsibility · dereliction · incompetence · heedlessness · remissness · failure · inadequacy
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- kickbacksIllegal return payments
- extortionObtaining through threats
graft · cronyism · nepotism · profiteering · abuse of power · self-dealing · conflict of interest · misappropriation
Failure to meet occupational standards
- professional misconductEthics breach at work
- wrongful actCivilly actionable misconduct
- mishandlingManaging badly or clumsily
- mismanagementIncompetent handling of responsibilities
error in judgment · professional liability · legal malpractice
violation
Breaking of rules
- infringementViolation of rights
- oversteppingExceeding appropriate bounds
- misconductImproper professional behavior
trespass · transgression · abuse of authority · imposition · irregularity · infraction · contravention
tort
Actionable civil harm
- liabilityLegal or financial obligation
- culpabilityDeserving blame for wrongdoing
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
maladministration · breach of duty · actionable · public office · official misconduct · damages · remedy · injunction · judicial review · administrative law
carelessness
Inattention causing mistakes
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- inattentionLack of focus
- neglectFailure to provide care
omission · laxity · irresponsibility · dereliction · incompetence · heedlessness · remissness · failure · inadequacy · slackness
bribery
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- kickbacksIllegal return payments
extortion · graft · cronyism · nepotism · profiteering · abuse of power · self-dealing · conflict of interest · misappropriation · venality
unprofessionalism
Failure to meet occupational standards
- professional misconductEthics breach at work
- wrongful actCivilly actionable misconduct
- mishandlingManaging badly or clumsily
mismanagement · error in judgment · professional liability · legal malpractice
misfeasancedue diligence
Pre-transaction reasonable care
compliance · professionalism · due care · sound judgment · best practices
misfeasancenonfeasance
Failure to perform duty
malfeasance · omission · willful misconduct · criminal act · dereliction
feasible, feasibility, malfeasance, nonfeasance, malfeasant, malfeasances