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 Being manhandled at home by a team with the sport’s sixth-lowest payroll is a negative. — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026 Hours later, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, announced the suspension of Acosta’s press pass, and, for good measure, falsely accused him of manhandling the aide who wanted the mike back. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2026 He was brought to the prison infirmary, where numerous guards surrounded, punched, kicked, choked, dropped and manhandled him. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 19 Sep. 2026 Accurso manhandles the omelet, layering the salad on top before folding it in half. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for manhandle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for manhandle

Verb

After teenage boys first reported that they had been abused in 2005, Church of the Resurrection conducted an internal investigation that court records show was inconclusive.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
Acton’s campaign on Tuesday posted a video of her brother, who supported her backstory about living in a tent and being abused.

— Julie Carr Smyth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of abuse

Verb

The customer can challenge a decision without mistreating the person explaining it.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Dustin Degenhardt, a voter in the town of Wainwright, said that Albertans have long been mistreated by Canada’s federal government.

— Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of mistreat

Verb

And if more eyes across the street from the polling station mean fewer mistakes and mishandling--in a nation in which ballot mistakes and mishandling are exceedingly rare already--then problems should be few.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
Many Israelis blame Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for failing to prevent the attacks, while former hostages and their families have accused it of mishandling efforts to secure the hostages’ release.

— Lia Lapidot Aaron Boxerman and Lia Lapidot, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of mishandle

Verb

But critics have warned the gloves will give ICE another weapon to intimidate and brutalize people even as the agency is under fire for excessive force that has left a trail of deaths and injuries across the nation.

— ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Allegations of abuse, inmates being brutalized by jailers, and dire conditions have plagued the facility for years, leading some county leaders, former sheriffs and civil rights advocates to call for the jail to be closed.

— James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of brutalize

Verb

Hawley said the majority of conflicts between humans and coyotes occurs when a pet owner tries to save their pet from an attacking coyote.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2026
Running as the populist candidate, Brown has repeatedly attacked Husted as the face of data centers in the state and pushed to take on Silicon Valley if elected to office again.

— Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of attack

Browse Nearby Words

mangy

manhandle

manhandled

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Style

“Manhandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manhandle. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of manhandle

verb

Example Sentences

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