Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

mishandle

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of mishandle

1 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
Synonyms of mishandle

abuse, brutalize, bully, ill-treat, ill-use, kick around, maltreat, manhandle, mess over [slang], mistreat, misuse
Words Related to mishandle

molest, outrage, violate

harass, harm, hurt, injure, oppress, persecute, torment, torture

burn, sandbag, victimize, wrong

beat (up), mess (up), rough (up), work (over)
Phrases Synonymous with mishandle

take apart
Near Antonyms of mishandle

care (for), cherish, foster, nurture

baby, cater (to), coddle, favor, gratify, humor, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil

2 to abuse physically

  • adopted a sadly mishandled puppy from the pound
Synonyms of mishandle

maltreat, manhandle, maul, rough (up)
Words Related to mishandle

abuse, ill-treat, ill-use, mistreat, misuse

roughhouse, wrestle

bash, batter, beat, buffet, drub, lambaste (or lambast), lick, pommel, pound, pummel, slap, thrash

harm, hurt, injure, wound

oppress, persecute, wrong

ambush, assail, attack

clobber, fight, gang up (on), hit, jump, knock

torment, torture
Near Antonyms of mishandle

caress, fondle, pet

coddle, mollycoddle, pamper

care (for), foster, nurture

3 to manage badly

  • we took over as soon as we realized that the fill-in had been mishandling the situation
Synonyms of mishandle

maladminister, misconduct, misgovern, mismanage, misrule
Words Related to mishandle

abuse, ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, mistreat, misuse

damage, harm, hurt, violate

botch, bungle
Near Antonyms of mishandle

govern, handle, husband, manage, rule

care (for), nurture

aid, help, protect, rescue

Learn More about mishandle

  1. See words that rhyme with mishandle Dictionary: Definition of mishandle

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up mishandle? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games