mishandle

verb

mis·​han·​dle (ˌ)mis-ˈhan-dᵊl 

mishandled; mishandling; mishandles

transitive verb

1

: to treat roughly : maltreat

2

: to deal with or manage wrongly or ignorantly

Synonyms of mishandle

• abuse
• mistreat
• bully
• manhandle
• misuse

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

Ryan Vilade and Diaz walked and as the Yankees mishandled a throw in attempting a double play on Liam Hicks’ grounder, Vilade made a heads-up dash for home. — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2026

In May, Xi emphasized to Trump the consequences of mishandling Taiwan. — Evelyn Cheng,anniek Bao, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026

The Michigan Supreme Court has ordered the state Court of Appeals to take another look at the life sentence given to Ethan Crumbley, the Oxford High School shooter, including whether his trial attorneys mishandled a defense expert's testimony. — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026

What happens if you’re caught mishandling an older person’s savings? — Alexiah Syrai Olsen, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mishandle

• candle
• handle
• sandal
• scandal
• vandal
• panhandle

Kids Definition

mishandle

verb

mis·​han·​dle (ˈ)mis-ˈhan-dᵊl 

1

: to treat roughly : maltreat

2

: to manage wrongly