MISUSING Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

misusing

verb

present participle of misuse

as in abusing

to put to a bad or improper use an actor who misused his considerable talent by appearing in too many lousy movies

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as in bullying

to inflict physical or emotional harm upon sadly misused by the people he had trusted

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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 misusing The Washington Post and other news outlets have recently reported on incidents of individual police officers misusing information collected by license plate readers for personal reasons, such as tracking the movements of former romantic partners. — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2026 She was arrested two days later on charges of misusing a license plate reader system. — Kenny Jacoby, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Multiple police officers in North and South Carolina have been arrested over accusations of misusing Flock cameras. — Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026 Summit County Sheriff's Office However, the company has come under fire recently after law enforcement officers were accused of misusing Flock's camera system. — Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 Less than a year into existence, a WPBL board member has alleged the organization is misusing funds. — Chris Branch, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Furthermore a Washington Post investigation found nearly 50 cases of officers charged with or accused of misusing the cameras, many involving tracking current or former romantic partners. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026 The cameras lately have come under fire for officers misusing them. — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 Once again, the United States is in conflict with a Middle Eastern country under an administration that is misusing its power. — David Harris, SPIN, 19 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for misusing

abusing

Verb

Communities from Lansing, Michigan, to Pflugerville, Texas, are ending their relationship with Flock, largely over concerns regarding out-of-control surveillance, unwanted data sharing, high expenses, and reports of police abusing the tool.

— Cyrus Farivar, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
Countless cops, meanwhile, are abusing the cameras to stalk women.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of abusing

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misuses

misusing

misutilization

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“Misusing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misusing. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of misusing

verb

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