1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacked
to abuse physically
adopted a sadly mishandled puppy from the pound
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mishandled
Recent headlines prove that, like any food, frozen items can be dangerous when mishandled at the farm, in the factory, on the road, at the warehouse, at the store or by the consumer.
—
Darin Detwiler, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
Gasoline Disposal Safety Tips Gasoline is extremely dangerous if mishandled.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Oct. 2025
Pitcher Orion Kerkering mishandled a comebacker, opting to throw home instead of first with the bases loaded and two outs.
—Melinda Yao, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2025
Trump claimed Comey mishandled a 2016 probe into Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s private email server, but Comey also refused to pledge loyalty to the president.
—Douglas M. Charles, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025
She and Sollecito were exonerated and released after four years in prison following an appeal, where the court found that Italian authorities had grossly mishandled the case.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano has addressed concerns from lawmakers following whistleblower allegations that the federal agency mishandled sensitive personal data.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Pratt’s Office of Student Protections alleged Thuet mishandled that case.
—Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
The case alleges Wilder mishandled Portalatin’s custody case in a Tarrant County family court.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2025
Darin Detwiler, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
Gasoline Disposal Safety Tips Gasoline is extremely dangerous if mishandled.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Oct. 2025
Pitcher Orion Kerkering mishandled a comebacker, opting to throw home instead of first with the bases loaded and two outs.
—Melinda Yao, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2025
Trump claimed Comey mishandled a 2016 probe into Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s private email server, but Comey also refused to pledge loyalty to the president.
—Douglas M. Charles, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025
She and Sollecito were exonerated and released after four years in prison following an appeal, where the court found that Italian authorities had grossly mishandled the case.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano has addressed concerns from lawmakers following whistleblower allegations that the federal agency mishandled sensitive personal data.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Pratt’s Office of Student Protections alleged Thuet mishandled that case.
—Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
The case alleges Wilder mishandled Portalatin’s custody case in a Tarrant County family court.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mishandled
Verb
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Images of Iraqi detainees being stripped naked and abused, published by the media, shocked the world.—
Ben Wedeman,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
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Many of us were abused by them.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Crabtree stopped, turned, attacked the ball and snagged it.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Nelson claimed to police that the man attacked her and their son after opening the car door.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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An unverified report circulated over the weekend that said Brown claimed Harbour bullied her on set.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
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The complaint alleges Kalumbula didn't protect the student when other students bullied him for having gay parents.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Workers described incidents of verbal and physical abuse, including reports from women workers who said they had been manhandled and subjected to obscene remarks and threats.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
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Vancouver completely manhandled a similarly representative Flames lineup, ultimately winning 8-1.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The sauna business will launch at Hart Park months after historic August flooding damaged and closed much of the 52-acre park, which is located on a floodplain.—
Bridget Fogarty,
jsonline.com,
4 Nov. 2025
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Stop Fertilizing Fertilizing prompts new growth, and fall isn’t the time for crepe myrtle trees or shrubs to focus on developing new branches and leaves that can be damaged by winter freezes.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Klingerman alleged in Don't Date Brandon that Johnson was cheating and mistreated her older daughter, Lexus, from a previous relationship.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
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They are mistreated, raped, killed.—
Karl Ove Knausgaard,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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What To Know On October 27, a 79-year-old woman was found dead near her home in northeastern Japan’s Akita Prefecture, on the island of Honshu, with facial injuries suggesting she had been mauled by a bear, according to local reports.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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As Chris Brown speeds toward a February trial in the case of a housekeeper who was mauled by a security dog at his Los Angeles house five years ago, the singer is sharing his detailed description of the incident, in his own words, for the first time.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and law firm Covington & Burlington LLP sued on behalf of seven trans and nonbinary individuals saying that the move violated their First Amendment rights.—
Mikelle Street,
Them.,
6 Nov. 2025
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In 1872, Campbell represented a group of white New Orleans butchers who claimed that efforts by Louisiana’s Reconstruction legislature to regulate their industry violated their Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendment rights.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mishandled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mishandled. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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