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

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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 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 Boston also struggled with its perimeter shooting (eight made 3-pointers on a season-low-tying 28 attempts) but manhandled the Raptors inside, setting a new franchise record for points in the paint (76) in the play-by-play era. — Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026 But this year’s edition could be the best one yet, and the Wolverines will get a chance to prove that next week in Indianapolis after manhandling Tennessee 95-62 yesterday at the United Center to clinch a spot in the Final Four. — Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for manhandle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for manhandle

Verb

Some evidence of harms from testosterone stem from people who abuse the hormone, taking levels well above what would be used to bring a patient with hypogonadism into a normal range.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
The textbook catalogs the ways prosecutors can abuse their powers.

— Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 17 July 2026

Definition of abuse

Verb

Two weeks after being bullied off X by gangs of LIB truthers, German soccer fan Freddy, whose wholesome social media posts on American culture during his travels around the country early in the World Cup, has returned to the app.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2026
Children who are bullied may also experience back-to-school anxiety.

— Kimberly Zapata, Parents, 12 July 2026

Definition of bully

Verb

Chris Brown was found liable by a Los Angeles jury on Tuesday for $13 million in the gruesome case of a dog that mauled and disfigured his housekeeper at his home in 2020.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 1 July 2026
Florida officials have identified the woman who died after she was mauled by an alligator while swimming in a river with her boyfriend and best friend over the weekend, and 911 calls detail the desperate attempt to save her life.

— Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 1 July 2026

Definition of maul

Verb

After reporting Lopez missing last September, Lopez’s daughter told a detective that Yepez had been mistreating her mother at work, the police report said.

— James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
By 1790, half of the world's coffee was being grown in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, in what is today Haiti, Pendergrast says, where slaves were routinely mistreated, raped and murdered.

— James Doubek, NPR, 3 July 2026

Definition of mistreat

Verb

Her complaint alleges deputies mishandled a live grenade from a Santa Monica call, brought it to a training center where explosives are banned, and handled it with Lemus, who lacked bomb-squad training.

— Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026
Gill, an attorney for the health system, was named CEO of the Florida hospitals earlier this year after the company’s founder was ousted over allegations related to mishandling money.

— Verónica Egui Brito July 16, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026

Definition of mishandle

Verb

The same curriculum includes Prophet Muhammed’s history of brutalizing Christians and Jewish people — a framing that Muslim families and interfaith advocates found issue with in public comment.

— Rachel Royster. Produced with AI assistance, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 July 2026
Described as a biting political thriller in the tradition of Wild in the Streets and V for Vendetta, The Hunted is set in a dystopian America where trans people are brutalized and erased to the margins of society.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 20 June 2026

Definition of brutalize

Verb

Investigators determined that a group of men had attacked him at his San Jose home and that one of them struck him in the face with the handle of a firearm, police said.

— Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
Refineries are maxed out, especially after Iran attacked 30 Middle Eastern refineries during the course of the war.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 21 July 2026

Definition of attack

Browse Nearby Words

mangy

manhandle

manhandled

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“Manhandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manhandle. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of manhandle

verb

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