1
as in abuses
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mauls
to abuse physically
adopted a sadly mishandled puppy from the pound
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mismanages
to manage badly
we took over as soon as we realized that the fill-in had been mishandling the situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 mishandles
The quarterback mishandles the snap and heaves the ball, which is picked off.
—
Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Oct. 2025
Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mishandles
Verb
-
The insurer said during a Senate committee hearing that Nutex abuses the independent dispute resolution process, which was intended by the federal No Surprises Act to be a last resort in cases where providers and health insurers can’t agree on what should be paid for out-of-network care.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The River Is Waiting follows Corby, a dad laid off from his job in an advertising firm’s art department, who secretly drinks 100-proof rum and abuses prescription medication while caring for his twin 2-year-olds.—
Eric Magnuson,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Martin mauls Arlington in 8-6A Arlington Martin got 20 points from Steven Reynolds III and 18 more from Levi Moore as the Warriors blasted Arlington 92-46 in a District 8-6A game on Thursday.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Victor’s own father is obsessed with legacy and perfection and mistreats his boy, and that cycle continues with Victor and the Creature.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Mihály is a brute who mistreats his mother.—
Adam Solomons,
IndieWire,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
If Khan violates the terms of his probation, the court could impose the eight-year prison sentence, according to the District Attorney’s Office.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
4 Mar. 2026
-
If LaPlaca violates the terms of the PTI program, she could be prosecuted for the child abuse charge.—
Joe Brandt,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Patients with myositis, an immune disease that attacks muscle, have shown significant improvements in strength.—
Jason Liebowitz,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The Ghostface killer attacks them, leaving two dead, including Lucas, impaled on a sharp beer tap handle.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Kemerly was diagnosed with a liver disease in 2007 that slowly damages the liver.—
Chris Hoffman,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
For example, if a hurricane destroys a school, a courthouse and 50 miles of roads in a city, FEMA will give the local government more money than if that same hurricane damages one building.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When Don injures his hand, Blue (Hunter McVey) is forced to step into the competition for him.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Bystander videos, like the ones taken of Pretti, have played a key role for decades in informing the public when law enforcement kills or injures people.—
Ava Berger,
NPR,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mishandles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mishandles. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
