misrule

verb mis·rule \ ˌmis-ˈrül \

Definition of misrule

transitive verb

:to rule incompetently :misgovern

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Examples of misrule in a Sentence

accused of misruling his island nation to the point of economic collapse

First Known Use of misrule

14th century

misrule Synonyms

Synonyms

maladminister, misconduct, misgovern, mishandle, mismanage

Related Words

abuse, ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, mistreat, misuse; damage, harm, hurt, violate; botch, bungle

Near Antonyms

govern, handle, husband, manage, rule; care (for), nurture; aid, help, protect, rescue

misrule

noun

Definition of misrule

1 :the action of misruling :the condition of being misruled

2 :disorder, anarchy

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Examples of misrule in a Sentence

The people of that country have endured many years of misrule.
the country's long period of misrule had made it a hotbed for terrorist organizations

Recent Examples of misrule from the Web

Under Maduro, the basic qualities of governance have eroded, caused by his misrule as well as a drop in world oil prices since 2014.

— The Christian Science Monitor, "Troubled Venezuela’s path to peace," 4 Aug. 2017
The numbers make their own case: 6.7 million people, mostly men, were under correctional supervision during the year 2015—more than were enslaved in antebellum America and more than resided in the Gulag Archipelago at the height of Stalin’s misrule.

— adam gopnik, The New Yorker, "How We Misunderstand Mass Incarceration," 31 Mar. 2017
In October 2015, the persistent violence in Afghanistan and the legacy of Karzai’s misrule forced Obama to reverse his plan to withdraw the last American soldiers by the end of his presidency.

— mark landler, New York Times, "How Hillary Clinton Became a Hawk," 21 Apr. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'misrule.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.