MANHANDLE Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

manhandle

verb

ˈman-ˌhan-dᵊl

Definition of manhandle

as in to abuse

to abuse physically charges that the police manhandled peaceful protesters

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to bully

to inflict physical or emotional harm upon if you see anyone manhandling a child, you should call the authorities

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of manhandle The $100 million price tag attached to the legal action is to make sure the city takes Brown’s allegations seriously — and ensure no one else is manhandled by the police without cause, Brown’s attorney Derek Sells of the Cochran Firm said. — Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2026 Then, the family says two others broke through a small window, manhandled their dogs and stole priceless mementos handed down through their family over generations, along with the cash. — Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026 Orlando manhandled Charlotte so thoroughly and so early Friday night that the game was over by halftime, when the Magic had amassed an astonishing 31-point lead. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 18 Apr. 2026 Did something get squashed en route, then manhandled by Kennedy? — Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for manhandle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for manhandle

Verb

Jarrett, the elder brother, was eventually taken in by a man who later abused him, a victimizer who then set his sights on Baylon.

— Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026
Market power can be abused, and a transaction involving companies this significant deserves careful regulatory scrutiny.

— Cory Jacobson, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of abuse

Verb

Trump has all but severed America’s system of alliances, mocked and bullied Ukraine’s president, and showered praise upon Kim Jong Un.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
Bullying and assault allegations In 2018, according to court documents, while still in elementary school, Austin Metcalf and his brother were accused of bullying and assaulting a female, which led to Austin Metcalf's arrest.

— J.D. Miles, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of bully

Verb

And statistically, your chances of getting jumped and mauled by a bear are so low compared to any other real danger in the backcountry.

— Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
Also in July, in Kenai, a local resident was mauled by a brown bear that had climbed over the fence into her front yard, with its two cubs, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

— Stephen Smith, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of maul

Verb

Creative labor certainly seems to be disappearing as studios experiment with generative AI, and artists and craftspeople are rightly afraid of being further mistreated, devalued, or replaced.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
Riddle says misdiagnosing and mistreating postpartum psychosis can have adverse effects on patients.

— Louisa Moller, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of mistreat

Verb

The Brewers got the leadoff batter on when Atlanta pitcher Martín Pérez (8-8) mishandled a dribbler from Cooper Pratt, who beat the throw to first.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
Raman, on the other hand, said Bass mishandled the city’s response to SB 79, even as the city failed to produce enough new homes.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of mishandle

Verb

In 2022, two corrections officers at the Laurens County Detention Center in South Carolina were arrested and charged with brutalizing an inmate and using a GLOVE device to repeatedly stun them, CNN noted.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 12 Aug. 2026
Each competitor was giving it their all with brutalizing chops, tough suplexes and going above and beyond to try to win that championship.

— Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2026

Definition of brutalize

Verb

Scott Quigley, then embedded with the Middlesex DA’s office, crashed his cruiser into a wheelchair van in December 2023, injuring a man inside who died at the hospital a month later.

— Boston Herald editorial staff, Boston Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
During a 2021 mass shooting at a school in Oxford, Michigan, police responded within minutes of the emergency calls and disarmed a 15-year-old boy in a shooting that killed four students and injured seven others.

— Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of injure

Browse Nearby Words

mangy

manhandle

manhandled

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Manhandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manhandle. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of manhandle

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

devolve

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes