MISGOVERN Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

misgovern

verb

ˌmis-ˈgə-vərn

Definition of misgovern

as in to misconduct

to manage badly the ruling party was soundly defeated at the polls for having disastrously misgoverned the country

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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 misgovern But a ruling class that systematically blinds itself to the most profound longings of human beings will misunderstand and misgovern those under its sway. — Benjamin and Jenna Storey, WSJ, 12 Oct. 2021

Recent Examples of Synonyms for misgovern

Verb

The Utah Supreme Court ordered a new trial last year, pointing to misconduct by investigators.

— Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
In addition, referees were instructed to apply the rules regarding fouls and misconducts more strictly – a move meant to protect players and their inventiveness.

— Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 26 May 2026

Definition of misconduct

Verb

Founders often mismanage their crucial first sales hire, mistakenly seeking candidates suited for large corporations.

— Kate Morgan, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Target has been criticized for mismanaging inventory, under-investing in stores and falling behind on the trendy, eye-catching merchandise the retailer built its name on.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 22 June 2026

Definition of mismanage

Verb

In 2012, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that a Costa Rican court’s ban on IVF violated the human right to private and family life and the human right to found and raise a family.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Trump administration officials in his first term were alleged to have repeatedly violated the Hatch Act with no penalty.

— Alayna Treene, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of violate

Verb

Meanwhile, local Church leaders hope the pope's visit will repair the Church's standing after a crushing 2021 report found that some 330,000 French children had been abused by Catholic clergy and lay leaders over seven decades.

— Joshua McElwee, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
An example of warrantless seizure could be a case in which an officer sees a dog being abused and takes the animal.

— Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of abuse

Verb

The result is a society that feels both rule-bound and misruled, saturated with laws and yet strangely lawless.

— Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2025
Congo had been brutally misruled by Belgium for over 70 years when the winds of change blew through in the late 1950s.

— Zachariah Mampilly, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023

Definition of misrule

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misgivings

misgovern

misgoverned

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“Misgovern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misgovern. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of misgovern

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