mishandle

verb

mis·​han·​dle (ˌ)mis-ˈhan-dᵊl How to pronounce mishandle (audio)
mishandled; mishandling; mishandles
Synonyms of mishandlenext

transitive verb

1
: to treat roughly : maltreat
2
: to deal with or manage wrongly or ignorantly

Examples of mishandle in a Sentence

The police mishandled the investigation. Apples are easily bruised when they are mishandled. The shortstop mishandled the throw. The quarterback fumbled when he mishandled the snap.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In August 2024, the two were ordered to pay nearly $1 billion to families who sued the couple for mishandling dead relatives' bodies. Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026 Dylan Chambost’s long ball-ahead was mishandled by defender Olwethu Makhanya. ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026 Forensic scientist Brent Turvey, who worked as a crime scene analysis expert for Kohberger’s defense team, alleges that police mishandled the knife sheath found inside the King Road house where four University of Idaho students were fatally stabbed in November 2022. Kevin Fixler april 23, Idaho Statesman, 23 Apr. 2026 The move follows a complaint a family filed in 2024 alleging that Irene Carlota Raygoza, owner of Del Valle Professional Services, mishandled their immigration case. Jason Green, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mishandle

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mishandle was in 1530

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Cite this Entry

“Mishandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mishandle. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

mishandle

verb
mis·​han·​dle (ˈ)mis-ˈhan-dᵊl How to pronounce mishandle (audio)
1
: to treat roughly : maltreat
2
: to manage wrongly
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