Standard Lemma guide

mishandle

noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /mɪsˈhændəl/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: M IH0 S HH AE1 N D AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Rough manipulation which causes physical damage.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Ineffective or incorrect deal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Improper, wrong, or bad usage or treatment; abuse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To manipulate something roughly, causing physical damage.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • If you mishandle a fragile package, the contents may break.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To deal with a situation incorrectly or ineffectively; to make a mistake in handling a situation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The prime minister was accused of mishandling the diplomatic crisis.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

manage badly or incompetently

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The funds were mismanaged

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mismanage, misconduct

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: manage, deal, care, handle

7

verb

Meaning 7

make a mess of, destroy or ruin

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I botched the dinner and we had to eat out
  • the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: botch, bodge, bumble, fumble, botch up, muff, blow, flub, screw up, ball up, spoil, muck up, bungle, fluff, bollix, bollix up, bollocks, bollocks up, bobble, louse up, foul up, mess up, fuck up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fail, go wrong, miscarry

History

Etymology

From Middle English mishandlen, equivalent to mis- + handle. Cognate with Saterland Frisian mishondelje, West Frisian mishandelje, Dutch mishandelen (“to mistreat”), German misshandeln (“to mistreat”).

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: малтретиране (maltretirane) — manipulate roughly
  • Catalan: malmenar — manipulate roughly
  • Chinese Mandarin: 虐待 (nüèdài) — manipulate roughly
  • Finnish: käsitellä kovakouraisesti — manipulate roughly
  • Māori: haukeke — manipulate roughly
  • Māori: raukoti — manipulate roughly
  • Catalan: malmenar — deal with incorrectly
  • Chinese Mandarin: 处理不当 — deal with incorrectly
  • Finnish: hoitaa huonosti — deal with incorrectly
  • Finnish: tunaroida — deal with incorrectly
  • Māori: raukoti — deal with incorrectly
  • Spanish: llevar mal — deal with incorrectly