Synonyms of mishandle

mishandle

verb

(ˌ)mis-ˈhan-dᵊl 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• abuse
• mistreat
• bully
• manhandle
• misuse
• injure
• torture
• maltreat
• brutalize
• violate
• hurt
• take apart
• oppress
• ill-treat
• ill-use
• persecute
• mess over
• molest
• harass
• harm
• wrong
• kick around
• torment
• victimize
• outrage
• work (over)
• beat (up)
• rough (up)
• burn
• sandbag
• mess (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• foster
• care (for)
• nurture
• cherish
• baby
• favor
• spoil
• indulge
• cater (to)
• gratify
• humor
• coddle
• pamper
• mollycoddle

2

as in to manhandle

to abuse physically

adopted a sadly mishandled puppy from the pound

Synonyms & Similar Words

• abuse
• manhandle
• maul
• attack
• maltreat
• injure
• rough (up)
• ambush
• hurt
• torture
• mistreat
• misuse
• beat
• wound
• wrestle
• harm
• slap
• wrong
• lick
• pummel
• batter
• persecute
• fight
• knock
• hit
• lambaste
• ill-treat
• oppress
• ill-use
• assail
• bash
• jump
• thrash
• pound
• clobber
• roughhouse
• buffet
• drub
• torment
• pommel
• gang up (on)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pet
• fondle
• caress
• coddle
• pamper
• foster
• nurture
• care (for)
• mollycoddle

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mismanage
• misconduct
• damage
• violate
• abuse
• mistreat
• misgovern
• misuse
• misrule
• maladminister
• hurt
• maltreat
• botch
• harm
• bungle
• ill-treat
• ill-use

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• handle
• manage
• husband
• govern
• rule
• protect
• care (for)
• help
• aid
• nurture
• rescue

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of mishandle

After almost mishandling the handoff to Breece Hall on his second snap, Klubnik looked poised and comfortable. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026

More violations at Chicago's Bohemian National Cemetery and Crematorium have surfaced, which is now under investigation for its role in mishandling bodies connected to the family that ran South Chicago Chapel. — Dave Savini, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

She has reportedly been found to have mishandled evidence on as many as 20 separate occasions. — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026

But Jackson also acknowledged Flutter mishandled its own customer proposition, particularly pulling back on promotions and generosity. — Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026