MISHANDLED Synonyms: 94 Similar and Opposite Words

mishandled

verb

past tense of mishandle

as in abused

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

as in attacked

to abuse physically adopted a sadly mishandled puppy from the pound

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as in mismanaged

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

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 mishandled Like investigations were getting mishandled, employee investigations — which are a very big deal. —

Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026 In January, Washington’s mother, Mindi Crapo, filed a lawsuit in Dallas County court against Castro and Valles, alleging one or both were responsible for the crash and that the case was mishandled from the start. —

Chase Rogers, Dallas Morning News, 13 Mar. 2026 On an out-of-bounds play, the ball was mishandled by Damien and Crespi junior guard Carter Barnes tried to secure a steal. —

Dan Rios, Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026 In November, a federal judge raised concerns that agents mishandled or destroyed key physical evidence in the case. —

Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026 Freeman floated a ball into the box, and it was mishandled by the Bishop Kenny goalkeeper and landed at the feet of sophomore forward Ariana Doles, who deposited it into the goal for her seventh tally of the year and a 1-0 lead. —

Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2026 Vincent said earlier this week that out of the 171 plays that were called on replay or replay assist, there were only a handful that were mishandled. —

ABC News, 25 Feb. 2026 While rare, copperheads can bite if they’re mishandled or feel threatened. —

Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026 No after-action reports were needed to know that Los Angeles badly mishandled last January’s fires, which damaged or destroyed more than 18,000 structures, burned more than 37,000 acres and resulted in 31 direct deaths. —

Editorial Board, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mishandled

Verb

Other kids in the household also had been physically abused, including a 10-year-old girl who withstood routine beatings with a belt over a 22-month period, Lake County authorities discovered.

— Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Fares, now 33, was allegedly abused by Rutledge from 2007 to 2010 and Simon, now 37, was allegedly abused from 2001 to 2005.

— Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026