1
as in to abuse
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
having been shuffled from foster home to foster home, the orphaned girl felt she had been mishandled by an uncaring society
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to manhandle
to abuse physically
adopted a sadly mishandled puppy from the pound
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to mismanage
to manage badly
we took over as soon as we realized that the fill-in had been mishandling the situation
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mishandle
Most people miss what triggers really mean: unpack them for success
Most people mishandle emotional responses.
—
Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Some community members at that time said Brooks was to blame for mishandling the situation.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 9 June 2025
Stines' defense team alleged that the prosecution mishandled grand jury proceedings.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
Freeman went to third when Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil mishandled the relay throw and then scored on a ground out.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mishandle
Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Some community members at that time said Brooks was to blame for mishandling the situation.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 9 June 2025
Stines' defense team alleged that the prosecution mishandled grand jury proceedings.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
Freeman went to third when Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil mishandled the relay throw and then scored on a ground out.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mishandle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mishandle
Verb
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In other words, don’t count on class actions to rein in Administrations bent on abusing the law.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
27 June 2025
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The court gave a win to the Trump administration as officials have repeatedly complained about federal judges blocking the president’s policies and claimed judges are abusing their power and are biased against him politically.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Anyone who has seen the video knows that he was fully handcuffed after having been manhandled to the ground.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
12 June 2025
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Federal agents manhandled him out of the room, shoved him down onto his knees and handcuffed him.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2025
Verb
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Some on the council pushed back, questioning whether the city's nearly $65 million in annual funding for the jail was being mismanaged.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
17 June 2025
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The place, mismanaged by Amtrak for more than a half century and divided into balkanized fiefdoms, is an embarrassment to America’s premier city.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Cameras are expected to return to Broward County’s special-needs classrooms to help parents determine whether their child may have been abused or mistreated at school.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
26 June 2025
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The Russian leader would be the cleaning lady who was overlooked and mistreated by the scientists in the good old days but who, uh, showed those silly male scientists who the real boss was when the zombies showed up.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2025
Verb
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The defense has theorized O’Keefe was mauled by a German shepherd owned by the family who lived at 34 Fairview.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
16 June 2025
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The incidents, mostly self-reported by employees, include chases, bites, assaults and deaths, like that of a 61-year-old mail carrier in Florida who died in 2022 after she was mauled by five dogs.—
Jocelyn Shek,
NBC news,
10 June 2025
Verb
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In the extreme, influencers are building social-media empires by bullying women into cutting calories and exercising for hours a day.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
25 June 2025
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One more user reminded viewers to learn from the online bullying fellow islander Huda Mustafa, a 24-year-old from Raleigh, North Carolina, faced earlier in the season.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Boone acknowledged that location will be key for Stroman, who can no longer attack hitters head-on at this stage of his career.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
28 June 2025
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This infection attacks your stomach lining and causes inflammation.—
Sayaka Blickenderfer,
Health,
28 June 2025
Verb
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Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 July 2025
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Don't use harsh cleaners, which can damage the grates.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mishandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mishandle. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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