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When something is aberrant, it is unusual, not socially acceptable, or a departure from the norm.
When you absolve someone, you publicly and formally say that they are not guilty or responsible for any wrongdoing.
When you arraign someone, you make them come to court and answer criminal charges made against them.
If you describe a person’s behavior as brazen, you mean that they are not embarrassed by anything they do—they simply don’t care what other people think about them.
Decorous appearance or behavior is respectable, polite, and appropriate for a given occasion.
If you demur, you delay in doing or mildly object to something because you don’t really want to do it.
If you describe someone, usually a young woman, as demure, you mean that she is quiet, shy, and always behaves modestly.
Something, such as a building, is derelict if it is empty, not used, and in bad condition or disrepair.
If you refer to the enormity of a situation, problem, or event, you mean that it is very evil or morally offensive; this word has nothing to do with physical size.
Errant things or people behave in a way that is unacceptable or wrong, such as a missile that travels in the wrong direction or a student who does not follow classroom rules.
Something that is inconspicuous does not attract attention and is not easily seen or noticed because it is small or ordinary.
Someone who is indiscreet shows lack of judgment, especially because they say or do things in public that should only be said or done privately—if at all.
Iniquity is an immoral act, wickedness, or evil.
Someone is overweening when they are not modest; rather, they think way too much of themselves and let everyone know about it.
A peccadillo is a slight or minor offense that can be overlooked.
If you perpetrate something, you commit a crime or do some other bad thing for which you are responsible.
To be politic in a decision is to be socially wise and diplomatic.
Probity is very moral and honest behavior.
Propriety is behaving in a socially acceptable and appropriate way.
If you commit a solecism, you make an error of some kind, such as one of a grammatical or social nature.
Something statutory, such as the power given to a governor or president, is created, established, and controlled by rules and laws; hence, it has the full force of the law behind it and must be followed.
When someone transgresses something, such as rules of social behavior or moral principles, they violate a boundary or limit.
If you say someone’s behavior is unseemly, you disapprove of it because it is not in good taste or not suitable for a particular situation.
Something that is unsullied is unstained and clean.
Noun
malfeasance
mal-FEE-zuhns
Context
The dean of the public university was placed on paid leave in response to some mysterious malfeasance or illegal act. No one is sure exactly what happened, but it is assumed that he’s guilty of some sort of malfeasance or misconduct. Once the dean is brought to trial for that supposed malfeasance or wrongdoing, we’ll then learn all about it; until then, we’ll have to wait.
Quiz:Try again!
Who is likely to engage in malfeasance?
An elected official who doesn’t care about obeying the law.
A child who is extremely upset at a parent about a punishment.
A writer who does not check the source of some information.
Maul Not a Pleasant Force Would you consider the chief librarian taking a maul and using unpleasant force to break all the library's windows an act of malfeasance?
Examples
Public officials absolutely should be subject to rigorous scrutiny and criticism by constituents, but the recall power must be resorted to only in cases of malfeasance. Otherwise, critics will likely resort to it too readily, sowing further discord and eroding the importance of elections.
—
Omaha World-Herald
The Nassau County Association, through its counsel, this afternoon filed formal charges of malfeasance in office against Sheriff Phineas A. Seaman and asked Governor Smith to remove him from office.
—
The New York Times, from 1919
“For seven years, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority has failed to meet its public trust obligations in complying with the Clean Water Act during the production of drinking water for the citizens of Pittsburgh,” said U.S. Attorney Scott Brady in a statement. “Today’s criminal charges shed light on years of mismanagement and malfeasance.”
—
KDKA, CBS Pittsburgh
Impeachment is a basic constitutional safeguard, designed both to correct harms to the system of government itself and to protect the people from ongoing malfeasance.
—
The Washington Post
An act of malfeasance is the “state or condition of the doing of something bad.”
Word Theater
TED-Ed: History vs. Richard Nixon—Alex Gendler President Richard Nixon lost the trust of the American people and was impeached due to malfeasance.
The panel shows a small video clip of either the word in actual use or a scene that represents the meaning of a word. This not only breaks up the monotony of studying words but also provides another avenue to strengthen word meaning. Enjoy!
