misact

verb

mis·​act ˌmis-ˈakt How to pronounce misact (audio)
misacted; misacting
1
intransitive : to act or behave in an improper or incorrect manner
In football, you get a 15-yard penalty if you do something like gouge an unsuspecting running back in the eyes. … In soccer, if you misact, they hand out little cards, which I think say, "Don't do that again or we'll give you another little card."Jim Brewer
2
transitive : to perform a part or role in a poor or unsuitable manner
Actors and managers have not always penetration enough to dive into the truth of character and are therefore content to receive it from tradition and misact it …William Popple
misact noun
plural misacts
This includes misacts of employees who fail to recognize or appreciate risks in the workplace … Mark A. Friend and James P. Kohn

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misact was in 1651

Dictionary Entries Near misact

Cite this Entry

“Misact.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misact. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!