malinger
UK: məˈlɪŋɡə | US: məˈlɪŋɡər
vi. To pretend or exaggerate illness to avoid work or duty.
The word "malinger" likely derives from the French malingre, meaning "sickly" or "ailing," which itself may combine mal- (bad) with haingre (weak). The suffix -inger lacks a clear etymological root in English, but the prefix mal- (from Latin malus) consistently conveys negativity. The term evolved in military contexts to describe soldiers feigning illness to evade duty, retaining its core meaning of deliberate deception.
The soldier was caught malingering to avoid morning drills.
She suspected her coworker was malingering when he called in sick after the holiday.
Teachers must discern between genuine illness and malingering.
His frequent headaches raised suspicions of malingering.
The doctor warned that malingering could delay real medical treatment.