1
as in to abuse
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 to manhandle
to abuse physically
adopted a sadly mishandled puppy from the pound
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to mismanage
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 mishandle
According to police, further investigation led to authorities finding several occasions when Kovarcik and Rahman were observed mishandling other children under their care.
—
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
Societies often mishandle preventable harm in recognizably similar ways.
—Barry R. Davis, Boston Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
Though city leaders agreed the street designation would be a proper way to honor Walton’s legacy, Councilmember Laura Lothian said the idea was mishandled when it was introduced without including Harris.
—Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
And Disney can still mishandle a specific dispute with that family in Florida.
—Kelsey Maurine Brickl, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mishandle
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
Societies often mishandle preventable harm in recognizably similar ways.
—Barry R. Davis, Boston Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
Though city leaders agreed the street designation would be a proper way to honor Walton’s legacy, Councilmember Laura Lothian said the idea was mishandled when it was introduced without including Harris.
—Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
And Disney can still mishandle a specific dispute with that family in Florida.
—Kelsey Maurine Brickl, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mishandle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mishandle
Verb
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According to Lewkowitz, if a grower abuses the soil, the system ceases to be viable, leaving zero likelihood of success from a sustainability standpoint.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
27 Apr. 2026
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Intermediate scrutiny is why men abuse women at such high rates and get away with it.—
Wendy Murphy,
Boston Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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But given the agency’s track record of withholding information, mismanaging funds and failing to comply with audit recommendations, assurances alone are not enough.—
J.B. Jennings,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Feb. 2026
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Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a letter last week demanding information about the project and accusing the state of mismanaging federal funds.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Activists who have accused Ridglan of mistreating the dogs broke into the facility last month in an effort to remove beagles that were being bred for laboratory testing.—
Victor Jacobo,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
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The Daily Mail, which obtained a copy the new lawsuit Friday, reported that Juana Delgado Soto alleges that Jenner failed to intervene to stop other staff from mistreating her.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
Verb
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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
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Most occur as the closing credits roll, whether pretending to be viciously mauled by a bear or, even more unnervingly, clearly superimposing his face onto the body of a performing cellist.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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To be a kid, though, was to be bullied.—
Chang-rae Lee,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
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The Wolves bullied Denver with offensive rebounds throughout the night, even when bruising backup center Jonas Valanciunas was on the floor.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Democrats have attacked these anti-fraud policies as an effort to undermine safety net programs for the impoverished.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
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The latest war erupted on March 2, when, after holding its fire since a 2024 truce, Hezbollah launched a surprise barrage of missiles into northern Israel in retaliation for the United States and Israel attacking Iran.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Trinity fire, which started May 1 in Phelan, burned 19 acres with no structures damaged, though the blaze destroyed an unknown number of Joshua trees.—
Blanca Begert,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
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They’re specifically designed for glass cooktop surfaces and have two sides—a gritty, sandpaper-like one on one side and a soft sponge on the other that gently scrub off stubborn messes and stuck-on bits without scratching or damaging the glass.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mishandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mishandle. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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