What does misuse mean?
Misuse means An incorrect, improper or unlawful use of something..
Misuse
/mɪsˈjuːs/ · noun
Meaning
An incorrect, improper or unlawful use of something..
Definitions by Sense
- An incorrect, improper or unlawful use of something.
- (transitive) To use (something) incorrectly.
- (transitive) To abuse or mistreat (something or someone).
- (transitive) To rape (a woman); later more generally, to sexually abuse (someone).
- (obsolete, transitive) To abuse verbally, to insult.
Example Sentences
The Queen may be celebrating her jubilee but the Queen's English Society, which has railed against the misuse and deterioration of the English language, is to fold.
“If that is true she would be the first case I have ever heard of, as most female captives are misused by the entire tribe.”
Socrates was brought upon the stage by Aristophanes, and misused to his face: but he laughed, as if it concerned him not […].
Synonyms for misuse
Antonyms for misuse
Related Words
Word Forms
- misuses
- misusing
- misused
- misust
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for misuse?
Common synonyms include abuse, outrage, violate, constuprate.
What is the opposite of misuse?
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
How do you use misuse in a sentence?
The Queen may be celebrating her jubilee but the Queen's English Society, which has railed against the misuse and deterioration of the English language, is to fold.
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.