as in abuse
incorrect or improper use
the warranty for this dryer is null and void if you subject the product to deliberate misuse
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to abuse
to put to a bad or improper use
an actor who misused his considerable talent by appearing in too many lousy movies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to bully
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
sadly misused by the people he had trusted
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of misuse
Reuters, NBC news, 14 Apr. 2026
Monitoring can help catch identity misuse earlier When identity theft happens, the first sign could be a new account or a transaction the account holder didn't authorize.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
Fatma Tanis, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
The Inspector General closed the final investigation in 2022, saying there was no proof Hernandez had misused her position, engaged in conflicts of interest or accepted financial incentives.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misuse
Noun
The founder of China Evergrande Group, the world’s most indebted property developer, pleaded guilty to charges including misuse of funds, fundraising fraud and illegally taking public deposits, a court in China’s southern city of Shenzhen said.
—Reuters, NBC news, 14 Apr. 2026
Monitoring can help catch identity misuse earlier When identity theft happens, the first sign could be a new account or a transaction the account holder didn't authorize.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
Verb
In the past, doing all the risk assessments and necessary evaluations to ensure funds are not misused, can take a year or more.
—Fatma Tanis, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
The Inspector General closed the final investigation in 2022, saying there was no proof Hernandez had misused her position, engaged in conflicts of interest or accepted financial incentives.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misuse
abuse
Noun
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Cole found that he was still traumatized by the abuse and had a hard time concentrating.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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Single-source grants The legislative auditor’s report found that from July 2022 through December 2024, BHA paid out roughly $200 million annually to counties, tribes and providers for services related to mental health and substance abuse disorder, totaling some 830 separate grant agreements.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misuse. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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