mishandles

verb

present tense third-person singular of mishandle
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mauls
to abuse physically adopted a sadly mishandled puppy from the pound

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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

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.
Recent Examples of mishandles Here was a brainy, confident bombshell who couldn’t be treated like a disposable plaything — a type of actor Hollywood has lusted for since those earlier black-and-white classics but usually mishandles. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026 Your case shows that persistence, clear documentation and advocacy can make a real difference — even when an airline mishandles a medical refund request. — Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 18 May 2026 The quarterback mishandles the snap and heaves the ball, which is picked off. — Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mishandles
  1. abuses
  2. mauls
  3. violates
  4. mistreats
  5. manhandles
  6. damages
  7. attacks
  8. misconducts
Verb
  • Anyone who repeatedly abuses AI tools may soon find Claude giving them the silent treatment.
    — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Detectives will continue investigating these cases aggressively, and anyone who abuses their position with a child will be held accountable.
    — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of abuses
Verb
  • Bain would immediately give the Dolphins an elite, powerful edge defender who mauls blockers in front of him and fits the 4-3 base defense coach Jeff Hafley wants to play as a traditional defensive end.
    — Kenny Rosarion, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Definition of mauls
Verb
  • The civil case seeks judicial review to override the council’s decision, which attorneys for the church argue was wrongly made, oversteps city authority and violates the Cathedral’s First Amendment rights to freely practice religion.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entrant that tampers with the operation of the Competition or website or violates the Official Rules of the Competition.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of violates
Verb
  • Platner is also an unfaithful spouse who mistreats women.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 25 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of mistreats
Verb
  • Accurso manhandles the omelet, layering the salad on top before folding it in half.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of manhandles
Verb
  • This creates stress on the display that ultimately damages the matrix.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Potential money damages If Hurts could prove the Eagles erred, the next question is whether the error caused, or will cause, Hurts a financial loss.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of damages
Verb
  • Republican rival Rick Jackson has spent heavily portraying Bottoms’ Atlanta mayoralty as a failure, focusing on crime and 2020 protests — attacks some supporters say carry racial and gender overtones.
    — Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Back in 2023, Stevens revealed he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome—a rare auto-immune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves—and was working to relearn how to walk and use his hands.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of attacks
Verb
  • In addition, referees were instructed to apply the rules regarding fouls and misconducts more strictly – a move meant to protect players and their inventiveness.
    — Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 26 May 2026
Definition of misconducts

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Cite this Entry

“Mishandles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mishandles. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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