as in to misuse
to put to a bad or improper use
you've misapplied the theorem to certain problems that require a different formula kids who misapply their boundless energy and get into trouble
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Recent Examples of misapply
But sometimes people misapply the word tradition to things that are simply obsolete.
—
Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Our biased admiration for good fathers is misapplied to a species, such as the bald eagle, in which biparental care is the rule.
—Time, 17 June 2023
First, if a bull market means to you that stocks are trending unequivocally upward, then, no, the bull market label is being misapplied right now.
—Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 16 June 2023
Democrats in Tallahassee say the program isn’t just bad policy, it was misapplied to move migrants from Texas.
—Todd J. Gillman, Dallas News, 7 June 2023
O'Shea said the study's findings have often been misinterpreted or misapplied since its publication.
—Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 2 June 2023
Ioniţă still has both qualities in equal measure, but they were sorely misapplied in his performance of Dvořák’s cello concerto.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2023
But laser projectors are still vulnerable to errors of neglect — i.e., dead bugs and misapplied 3-D lenses — and can introduce problems of their own, including a tendency toward green and magenta highlights.
—Lane Brown, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2023
Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Our biased admiration for good fathers is misapplied to a species, such as the bald eagle, in which biparental care is the rule.
—Time, 17 June 2023
First, if a bull market means to you that stocks are trending unequivocally upward, then, no, the bull market label is being misapplied right now.
—Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 16 June 2023
Democrats in Tallahassee say the program isn’t just bad policy, it was misapplied to move migrants from Texas.
—Todd J. Gillman, Dallas News, 7 June 2023
O'Shea said the study's findings have often been misinterpreted or misapplied since its publication.
—Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 2 June 2023
Ioniţă still has both qualities in equal measure, but they were sorely misapplied in his performance of Dvořák’s cello concerto.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2023
But laser projectors are still vulnerable to errors of neglect — i.e., dead bugs and misapplied 3-D lenses — and can introduce problems of their own, including a tendency toward green and magenta highlights.
—Lane Brown, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misapply
Verb
-
There is no doubt that private actors can misuse information and misuse technology to commit crimes.—
Norbert Michel,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
An 83-year-old former pastor and food bank director has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for charitable theft and patronizing prostitution after being found guilty July 31 of misusing donations meant to serve needy residents.—
Katie Nixon,
The Tennessean,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Her story was part of Key Biscayne’s Dark Secret, a Herald investigation published last year that revealed her story and those of two other girls who also said they were abused.—
Ana Claudia Chacin,
Miami Herald,
18 Aug. 2025
-
He has never been accused of wrongdoing by any of the women who say Epstein abused them.—
Jenna Sundel
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Misapply.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misapply. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
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