Synonyms for misuse
mɪsˈyus; -ˈyuzmis·use

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. misuse

   Abuse covers all unreasonable or improper use or treatment by word or act. A tenant does not abuse rented property by "reasonable wear," though that may damage the property and injure its sale; he may abuse it by needless defacement or neglect. It is possible to abuse a man without harming him, as when the criminal vituperates the judge; or to harm a man without abusing him, as when the witness tells the truth about the criminal. Defame, malign, rail at, revile, slander, vilify, and vituperate are used always in a bad sense. One may be justly reproached. To impose on or to victimize one is to injure him by abusing his confidence. To persecute one is to ill-treat him for opinion's sake, commonly for religious belief; to oppress is generally for political or pecuniary motives. "Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy," Deut. xxiv, 14. Misemploy, misuse, and pervert are commonly applied to objects rather than to persons. A dissolute youth misemploys his time, misuses his money and opportunities, harms his associates, perverts his talents, wrongs his parents, ruins himself, abuses every good gift of God.

   Synonyms:
   abuse, aggrieve, damage, defame, defile, disparage, harm, ill-treat, ill-use, impose on, impose upon, injure, malign, maltreat, misemploy, molest, oppress, persecute, pervert, prostitute, rail at, ravish, reproach, revile, ruin, slander, victimize, vilify, violate, vituperate, wrong

   Antonyms:
   applaud, benefit, care for, cherish, conserve, consider, eulogize, extol, favor, laud, panegyrize, praise, protect, regard, respect, shield, sustain, tend, uphold, vindicate

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. misusenoun

   Synonyms:
   abuse, perversion, prostitution

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. misuse, abuseverb

   improper or excessive use

   "alcohol abuse"; "the abuse of public funds"

   Synonyms:
   ill-treatment, contumely, vilification, insult, revilement, ill-usage, maltreatment, abuse

2. misapply, misuseverb

   apply to a wrong thing or person; apply badly or incorrectly

   "The words are misapplied in this context"; "You are misapplying the name of this religious group"

   Synonyms:
   misapply, pervert, abuse

3. pervert, misuse, abuseverb

   change the inherent purpose or function of something

   "Don't abuse the system"; "The director of the factory misused the funds intended for the health care of his workers"

   Synonyms:
   sophisticate, pervert, shout, vitiate, deprave, debauch, twist, ill-use, blackguard, twist around, subvert, misapply, profane, step, corrupt, debase, misdirect, demoralise, convolute, maltreat, abuse, demoralize, clapperclaw, ill-treat, mistreat

Matched Categories

1. • Apply
   • Use

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. misuseverb

   Synonyms:
   misemploy, misapply, desecrate, profane, pervert, put to a wrong use

2. misuseverb

   Synonyms:
   abuse, maltreat, ill-treat, ill-use

3. misuseverb

   Synonyms:
   waste, squander, fool away, fritter away, muddle away, spend foolishly

4. misusenoun

   Synonyms:
   abuse, perversion, prostitution, profanation

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. misusenoun

   Synonyms:
   misapplication, prostitution, perversion, profanation, maltreatment, abuse

2. misuseverb

   Synonyms:
   misapply, prostitute, pervert, profane, maltreat, abuse

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "misuse":

   abuse, diversion, misappropriation, embezzlement, abuses

How to pronounce misuse?

How to say misuse in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use misuse in a sentence?

1. Paul Bernal:

   If you can use data to get a customer to buy something that they otherwise wouldn't, it's good for the bank but not necessarily for the customer and the potential for misuse is significant.

2. Sean Esteban McCabe:

   In some schools there was little to no misuse of stimulants, while in other schools more than 25% of students had used stimulants in nonmedical ways, this study is a major wake-up call.

3. Dan Zadra:

   Worry is a misuse of imagination.

4. Deepa Camenga:

   We know this is happening in colleges. A major takeaway of the new study is that misuse and sharing of stimulant prescription medications is happening in middle and high schools, not just college.

5. Amanda Renteria:

   This pattern of misconduct is completely unacceptable, from Washington to California, citizens have begun calling out misuse of power wherever and whenever it happens. That’s why it’s time for Newsom to step down.