1
as in abused
to put to a bad or improper use
an actor who misused his considerable talent by appearing in too many lousy movies
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bullied
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
sadly misused by the people he had trusted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of misused
In the past, doing all the risk assessments and necessary evaluations to ensure funds are not misused, can take a year or more.
—
Fatma Tanis, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
The Inspector General closed the final investigation in 2022, saying there was no proof Hernandez had misused her position, engaged in conflicts of interest or accepted financial incentives.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Federal authorities framed the case as an example of how AI can be misused to exploit digital payment systems at scale.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Denver’s previous vendor, Flock Safety, misused data, and that contract was terminated.
—Michael Hancock, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
The Ethics Committee panel cited a years-long inquiry into whether Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick misused covid pandemic money.
—Kadia Goba, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Emotional and family fallout When the person who misused your identity is a relative, the damage often goes beyond finances.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
Cook said that while the department has outlined policies limiting how drones can be used, those rules do not guarantee that the technology will not be misused.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2026
Even those made from durable materials can break if misused.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2026
Fatma Tanis, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
The Inspector General closed the final investigation in 2022, saying there was no proof Hernandez had misused her position, engaged in conflicts of interest or accepted financial incentives.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Federal authorities framed the case as an example of how AI can be misused to exploit digital payment systems at scale.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Denver’s previous vendor, Flock Safety, misused data, and that contract was terminated.
—Michael Hancock, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
The Ethics Committee panel cited a years-long inquiry into whether Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick misused covid pandemic money.
—Kadia Goba, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Emotional and family fallout When the person who misused your identity is a relative, the damage often goes beyond finances.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
Cook said that while the department has outlined policies limiting how drones can be used, those rules do not guarantee that the technology will not be misused.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2026
Even those made from durable materials can break if misused.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misused
abused
Verb
-
Kaley denied being abused or neglected, though Meta’s attorneys did show some Instagram posts about her mother screaming at her.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
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Leah Juliett, also a survivor, still remembers the scarlet lockers at Wolcott High School where she was abused.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misused. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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