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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
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Under my watch, anyone who abuses wildlife in Florida will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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Its leader, the president, abuses power, hurts the innocent, and mocks the dead before their families have even begun to grieve.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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Mihály is a brute who mistreats his mother.—
Adam Solomons,
IndieWire,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Supreme Court said Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for minors violates the free speech rights of a Christian counselor.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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Israeli rights groups and international organizations say the law violates international law and discriminates against Palestinians through unequal application across courts.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Botulism occurs when people eat food contaminated with botulinum toxin, a potent toxin that attacks the body’s nervous system.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
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Global oil prices have surged as Iran tightens its grip on the Strait of Hormuz and attacks regional energy infrastructure, pushing Brent crude to around $107 a barrel, more than 45 percent higher than before the war began.—
Sam Stevenson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Children are more likely to suffer from HUS, which damages blood vessels, according to the Mayo Clinic.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
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This exposure damages the DNA in skin cells and can trigger changes that cause those cells to grow out of control and turn cancerous.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
NBC news,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In her desperation to ask Val for a job on the new sitcom, Sharon falls and injures herself.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
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Pool drain seriously injures girl Paloma Quatrini was just days away from her fourth birthday when the accident happened at an upscale resort in Mexico.—
Meghan Schiller,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mishandles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mishandles. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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