mismanage

verb

ˌmis-ˈma-nij How to pronounce mismanage (audio)
Definition of mismanagenext
as in to misconduct
to manage badly the business was mismanaged so seriously that it eventually had to declare bankruptcy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 mismanage The restraining order is part of a larger lawsuit filed by the city against the Park District last October, where the city alleges the park board mismanaged funds, left parks in disrepair and violated a 2012 intergovernmental agreement. — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 18 May 2026 This measure may be well-intentioned, but intention is not enough, and it will probably be mismanaged, and for what? — Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 4 May 2026 Also, the union alleges that the department and the Unified Government has mismanaged funds in a way that has created unsafe working conditions. — Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026 Her ability to mismanage several things at once is truly remarkable. — John Phillips, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mismanage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mismanage
  1. misconduct
  2. damage
  3. violate
  4. mishandle
  5. misgovern
  6. abuse
Verb
  • The Utah Supreme Court ordered a new trial last year, pointing to misconduct by investigators.
    — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • 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 misconduct
Verb
  • Rioters burned close to 6,000 vehicles and damaged over 1,000 buildings.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
  • What that young girl saw damaged and scarred her heart; one wonders why the happy adults around her could not see the ugliness inherent in killing a fellow human being.
    — Dr. Michael Good, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of damage
Verb
  • Among them, Carter found that the request violates federal law precluding altering of election rules on the eve of an election.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The lawsuit argues the change violates the Administrative Procedure Act because it was adopted without explanation and the First Amendment, which protects lawyers' ability to advise people of their legal rights and seek prospective clients.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of violate
Verb
  • Republicans have long accused the FBI of mishandling the laptop and the investigations into the younger Biden.
    — Ryan Lucas, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026
  • New Mexico sued Facebook in 2021, accusing it of mishandling state residents’ personal information and deceiving those users about its policies in connection with the incident.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of mishandle
Verb
  • But a ruling class that systematically blinds itself to the most profound longings of human beings will misunderstand and misgovern those under its sway.
    — Benjamin and Jenna Storey, WSJ, 12 Oct. 2021
Definition of misgovern
Verb
  • After teenage boys first reported that they had been abused in 2005, Church of the Resurrection conducted an internal investigation that court records show was inconclusive.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Acton’s campaign on Tuesday posted a video of her brother, who supported her backstory about living in a tent and being abused.
    — Julie Carr Smyth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of abuse

Browse Nearby Words

misliking
mismanage
mismanaged
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of shindig

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All