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
Orders that leave our kitchen hot and carefully prepared sometimes arrive cold, spilled or mishandled.
—
Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
John Boyega, who played Finn — a Black stormtrooper — in the sequels, once complained that Disney mishandled the introduction of a Black character.
—Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026
Because he was overdrafted and the 2025 quarterback situation was mishandled, Gabriel just isn’t in a good place with the Browns.
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 5 May 2026
This led to the number of firefighters being reduced, which diminished their preparedness and mishandled emergency responses to large-scale emergencies related to ferocious fire.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Authorities also mishandled the weapon after it was collected as evidence, further weakening the prosecution's case.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
Richardson said Bjornstad seeks both financial compensation and a public acknowledgment that the university mishandled his situation.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Dylan Chambost’s long ball-ahead was mishandled by defender Olwethu Makhanya.
—ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
The move follows a complaint a family filed in 2024 alleging that Irene Carlota Raygoza, owner of Del Valle Professional Services, mishandled their immigration case.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
John Boyega, who played Finn — a Black stormtrooper — in the sequels, once complained that Disney mishandled the introduction of a Black character.
—Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026
Because he was overdrafted and the 2025 quarterback situation was mishandled, Gabriel just isn’t in a good place with the Browns.
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 5 May 2026
This led to the number of firefighters being reduced, which diminished their preparedness and mishandled emergency responses to large-scale emergencies related to ferocious fire.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Authorities also mishandled the weapon after it was collected as evidence, further weakening the prosecution's case.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
Richardson said Bjornstad seeks both financial compensation and a public acknowledgment that the university mishandled his situation.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Dylan Chambost’s long ball-ahead was mishandled by defender Olwethu Makhanya.
—ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
The move follows a complaint a family filed in 2024 alleging that Irene Carlota Raygoza, owner of Del Valle Professional Services, mishandled their immigration case.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mishandled
Verb
-
Roza — a woman testifying under her first name — was an aspiring model from Uzbekistan when Epstein abused her in 2009, after the plea deal and while he was supposed to be under house arrest.—
Claire Healy,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 May 2026
-
Cook was labeled a vexatious litigant in 2018 until the Idaho Supreme Court in 2021 reversed the case, finding that the court abused its discretion.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Hezbollah, the Lebanese paramilitary force, has attacked Israeli troops and targeted northern Israel with rockets and drones.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
-
While the man was being attacked, the woman used a shopping cart to fend off the suspect and protect the male victim.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Justin is being bullied at school, but doesn’t want to burden his father.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
15 May 2026
-
Amar, who is nine years old, has been hit and bullied at school; once, a classmate strangled him.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Those ramped up after Ottawa was completely manhandled by the Canes, and never held the lead at any point in the series.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The $100 million price tag attached to the legal action is to make sure the city takes Brown’s allegations seriously — and ensure no one else is manhandled by the police without cause, Brown’s attorney Derek Sells of the Cochran Firm said.—
Sheetal Banchariya,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Still vehicle electronics can be damaged from reverse polarity, poor or wrong connection points or voltage spikes from improper equipment.—
Hartford Courant,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
-
The surge triggered severe erosion, damaged the powerhouse and nearby switchyards, washed debris into the North Yuba River and destroyed portions of Lake Francis Road.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Gareth Purnell, an attorney representing several former Asheville Academy students, says his firm receives roughly two to three inquiries a day from people who say they were sent off to programs or schools where they were mistreated.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
-
That says a lot about Michael rescuing other people who felt that they were being abused, mistreated.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The attack was Australia’s first shark fatality since January, when a 12-year-old boy died in a hospital days after he was mauled by a bull shark in Sydney Harbor.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
-
The arrangement appeared to be working out well until that morning, when less than an hour after Loyalty's arrival, Miller called 911 to report that the boy had been mauled by her two Great Dane/Mastiff mixes.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Virginia Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on Friday that Democrats in the state legislature violated the Virginia Constitution when sending the referendum to voters.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
11 May 2026
-
What boundary is being violated?—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mishandled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mishandled. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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