Synonyms of mishandling

mishandling 1 of 2

noun

as in mismanagement

Related Words

• mismanagement
• misuse
• abuse
• misapplication
• mismanaging
• mistreatment
• maltreatment
• perversion
• misusage
• ill-treatment
• destruction
• wrecking
• misemployment
• misutilization
• spoiling
• damage
• ill-usage
• desecration
• debasement
• corruption
• profanation
• ruin
• prostitution

Dissimilar Words

• use
• application
• employment
• utilization

mishandling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of mishandle

1

as in abusing

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

• abusing
• bullying
• mistreating
• misusing
• manhandling
• torturing
• brutalizing
• violating
• injuring
• taking apart
• maltreating
• hurting
• oppressing
• ill-treating
• ill-using
• messing over
• persecuting
• harassing
• kicking around
• molesting
• harming
• tormenting
• outraging
• working (over)
• victimizing
• wronging
• sandbagging
• beating (up)
• burning
• roughing (up)
• messing (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fostering
• caring (for)
• nurturing
• cherishing
• favoring
• gratifying
• spoiling
• indulging
• catering (to)
• coddling
• humoring
• pampering
• babying
• mollycoddling

2

as in manhandling

to abuse physically

adopted a sadly mishandled puppy from the pound

Synonyms & Similar Words

• abusing
• manhandling
• attacking
• mauling
• maltreating
• ambushing
• torturing
• injuring
• roughing (up)
• misusing
• beating
• mistreating
• hurting
• battering
• slapping
• wounding
• harming
• fighting
• licking
• wrestling
• pummeling
• persecuting
• bashing
• lambasting
• knocking
• thrashing
• buffeting
• roughhousing
• hitting
• ill-treating
• pounding
• ill-using
• assailing
• wronging
• oppressing
• jumping
• tormenting
• clobbering
• drubbing
• pommeling
• ganging up (on)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fondling
• caressing
• petting
• coddling
• fostering
• pampering
• caring (for)
• nurturing
• mollycoddling

3

as in damaging

to manage badly

we took over as soon as we realized that the fill-in had been mishandling the situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

• damaging
• mismanaging
• violating
• abusing
• misconducting
• misgoverning
• mistreating
• misusing
• maladministering
• misruling
• bungling
• harming
• hurting
• maltreating
• botching
• ill-treating
• ill-using

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• handling
• governing
• managing
• ruling
• protecting
• helping
• caring (for)
• husbanding
• aiding
• nurturing
• rescuing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of mishandling

Noun

He was indicted on more than three dozen charges stemming from his alleged mishandling of sensitive government records, but the case ended after he was elected to a second term in November 2024. —Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026

Joseph States’ front-page News-Sun report last week detailed alleged mishandling of the youngster’s brutal history over a four-year period. —Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026

The inquiry into Kent’s alleged mishandling of classified information reportedly predates his resignation, according to multiple people with knowledge of the matter, Semafor first reported. —Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 19 Mar. 2026

The agency has faced lawsuits over alleged mishandling of government data and DOGE's access to sensitive personal information. —ABC News, 11 Mar. 2026

Hoping for justice Damage has been done by the mishandling of Thomas’ case, Friedland said — to him, their son, and Thomas’ family. —Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026

The leak sparked fears about the potential mishandling of classified national security information. —John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 15 Dec. 2025

The mishandling of his status and the confusion about his availability led the NFL to investigate the matter, which has now led to a massive fine for the Ravens organization. —James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025

That Trump has been singularly focused on pop culture comes at a time when his reputation — and that of his administration — has been under fire due to the mishandling of the Epstein files. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2025

Verb

The family of a stillborn baby has filed a lawsuit against a Pompano Beach funeral home, accusing the home of mishandling the baby’s unenbalmed remains and leaving him underneath the body of a 200-pound man. —Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026

The year before that, the FTC dinged WW International, formerly Weight Watchers, for illegally collecting and mishandling data from Kurbo, a weight loss app for children. —Sasha Richie, Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026

Rourke admitted to mishandling his career in his Instagram video. —Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026

Documents released since December have included redaction errors, leaked victim identities, and ongoing complaints of mishandling by department officials. —Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026

That hearing focused on the recent surge of agents to the state, as both sides pointed fingers at the other for mishandling of the situation in Minnesota. —March 4, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026

This isn’t the first time a third-party vendor has come under scrutiny for mishandling sensitive user information for Discord, which is popular among gamers, students, influencers, tech professionals, and other communities. —Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026

Anutin has been prime minister only since last September, after serving in the Cabinet of his immediate predecessor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was forced out of office for an ethics violation regarding mishandling relations with Cambodia. —Grant Peck, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026

Michael is approved by the late singer’s estate, which has been handling—or, by some accounts, mishandling—the legal rights of Jackson’s accusers in relation to the story. —Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 2 Feb. 2026