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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of misuse
Don Aviv, Time, 7 Mar. 2026
He was sentenced to one year of probation on the misdemeanor charge as part of a plea deal with prosecutors, who agreed to drop more serious charges of harassment and misuse of public monies.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Josh Kelety, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Why Supplement Combinations Matter Dietary supplements may seem harmless, but taking too much of certain supplements or misusing them can result in reduced nutrient absorption and other serious side effects.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misuse
Noun
Advertisement At the same time, entirely new forms of AI misuse are emerging.
—Don Aviv, Time, 7 Mar. 2026
He was sentenced to one year of probation on the misdemeanor charge as part of a plea deal with prosecutors, who agreed to drop more serious charges of harassment and misuse of public monies.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
Voter privacy advocates worry that shared election data could be misused to remove people from state voter rolls in violation of privacy laws.
—Josh Kelety, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Why Supplement Combinations Matter Dietary supplements may seem harmless, but taking too much of certain supplements or misusing them can result in reduced nutrient absorption and other serious side effects.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misuse
abuse
Noun
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The jury acquitted Contreras-Gafaro of nine additional charges, including theft in a range of $20,000 to $100,000, felony menacing, third-degree assault, child abuse, false imprisonment and criminal mischief, according to court records.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
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Overcrowding, abuse, and neglect have made conditions far worse, and basic agency oversight has been gutted.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misuse. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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