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.
What if, instead of paying $250 million after mishandling big stock trades, Morgan Stanley simply wasn’t allowed to do those trades for a while? — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Any moment where mishandling could create extra-contractual exposure. — Manish Garg, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 An attorney representing Matthew Mayich’s family said Arizona State University is mishandling the investigation into the hockey player’s collapse and hospitalization and called on members of the coaching staff to be put on administrative leave. — Nathan Fenno, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026 Barry Hankerson accused Jomo Hankerson of mishandling travel arrangements for a Bahamas trip more than 25 years ago that ended in a plane crash that killed the 22-year-old singer and eight others, according to documents obtained by USA TODAY. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 1 Sep. 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 Sep. 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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