misuse

1 of 2

verb

mis·​use ˌmis-ˈyüz How to pronounce misuse (audio)
misused; misusing; misuses

transitive verb

1
: to use incorrectly : misapply
misused his talents
a word that is frequently misused
2
: abuse, mistreat
… their prisoner had the heavy task of receiving their insolence as wit, answering their insults with good-humour, and withholding from them the opportunity which they sought of engaging him in a quarrel, that they might have a pretence for misusing him.Sir Walter Scott
misuser noun
plural misusers

misuse

2 of 2

noun

mis·​use ˌmis-ˈyüs How to pronounce misuse (audio)
: incorrect or improper use : misapplication

Examples of misuse in a Sentence

Verb She's charged with misusing company funds. a word that is frequently misused Noun No refunds will be offered on products damaged by misuse. the warranty for this dryer is null and void if you subject the product to deliberate misuse
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.
Verb
That low percentage suggests that detention center staff are misusing strip searches, said Dana Flores, senior manager for youth justice in Colorado at the National Center for Youth Law. Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025 And more than 300 others have been accused of selling or misusing their benefits since January 2024, according to records obtained by Kentucky Public Radio. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
The real number of people who are really trying to create misuse may be very close to zero. Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025 The case could set a precedent, both in India and globally, for how courts recognize the AI misuse of celebrity images. Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for misuse

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, partly from mis- + usen to use; partly from Middle French mesuser to abuse, from Old French, from mes- + user to use

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misuse was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Misuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misuse. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

misuse

1 of 2 verb
mis·​use mish-ˈüz How to pronounce misuse (audio)
(ˈ)mish-ˈyüz,
(ˈ)mis-ˈyüz
1
: to use incorrectly : misapply
2
misusage
-ˈ(y)ü-sij
-zij
noun

misuse

2 of 2 noun
mis·​use mish-ˈüs How to pronounce misuse (audio)
(ˈ)mish-ˈyüs,
(ˈ)mis-ˈyüs
: incorrect or improper use

More from Merriam-Webster on misuse

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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