Malinger

To malinger means to intentionally avoid work, duties, or responsibilities by feigning illness, injury, or incapacity. This behavior often involves exaggerating or fabricating symptoms to escape obligations or to gain an advantage. Malingering is generally viewed negatively in professional and academic settings, as it undermines trust and fairness among peers and colleagues.

Malinger meaning with examples

• After weeks of poor performance at the job, Lucy decided to malinger, claiming she had a severe headache each morning to avoid dealing with her responsibilities. Her colleagues quickly caught on to her ruse, and the atmosphere in the office became increasingly tense.
• During the physical training sessions, Jake would often malinger, pretending to have a sore ankle to get out of running laps. However, his trainers became suspicious when he was seen running freely during recreational hours, proving his malingering habits were just a means of escaping hard work.
• In high school, Sarah learned that if she pretended to be sick, she could skip the difficult math exam. She began to malinger frequently, calling her mother to come pick her up. Eventually, her teachers found out and set up a system to ensure she couldn't easily escape her responsibilities.
• When William felt overwhelmed by his workload, it was tempting to malinger rather than ask for help. He thought about feigning a cold to take a few days off but realized that being honest was a healthier approach to managing stress and responsibilities.
• Michael decided to malinger during flu season, often claiming he had caught the bug before major deadlines. However, after a few instances, his manager investigated the pattern and discovered he was fine, leading to a serious discussion about accountability at work.