mishandle

verb

mis·​han·​dle (ˌ)mis-ˈhan-dᵊl How to pronounce mishandle (audio)
mishandled; mishandling; mishandles
Synonyms of mishandlenext

transitive verb

1
: to treat roughly : maltreat
2
: to deal with or manage wrongly or ignorantly

Synonyms of mishandle

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Examples of mishandle in a Sentence

The police mishandled the investigation. Apples are easily bruised when they are mishandled. The shortstop mishandled the throw. The quarterback fumbled when he mishandled the snap.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The heat wave has gone down in history as being grossly mishandled by the city. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 1 July 2026 Garcia Martinez, who says his mother is in removal proceedings because Lozano mishandled her case, lives every day in fear that she will be deported. — ABC News, 29 June 2026 The two sides publicly savaged each other, with dueling allegations of mishandling forensic evidence, among other things. — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 30 June 2026 Its job is to educate the public, adopt regulations and investigate, audit and penalize businesses that mishandle personal information. — Harry Kazakian, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for mishandle

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mishandle was in 1530

Rhymes for mishandle

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Browse Nearby Words

misguided
mishandle
mishanter
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Cite this Entry

“Mishandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mishandle. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mishandle

verb
mis·​han·​dle (ˈ)mis-ˈhan-dᵊl How to pronounce mishandle (audio)
1
: to treat roughly : maltreat
2
: to manage wrongly
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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