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to misuse

to misuse

60 3.9
To do something wrong with money, objects, or power
  • verb
  • /ˌmɪsˈjuːz/
translation icon : usar indebidamente
  • Don't misuse your talents.
  • misuse funds
  • misuse alcohol
  • misuse power

That the technique that she developed could be misused in horrible ways.

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Examples

  • Yet analysts (Hafez included) and journalists especially continue to misuse and overuse the term.

    Academic text (2015)
  • He was fired after he was found to misuse the company's resources for personal projects.

  • You are not allowed to misuse customer funds.

  • All of these words have a meaning and if you misuse them, you get yourself into a lot of trouble.

  • And yet it seems we continue to misuse and abuse that same technology.

  • See to it that I don't misuse the money.

  • I obviously misused the word.

  • The power of this goodie is so great, it must be ever kept from those who would misuse it.

  • During this period, public funds were misused to pile up military equipment for terrorists.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Opioids, even prescribed ones, if misused, the consequences can be deadly.

Synonyms

to waste
vsto misuse
1.0

To use or spend something carelessly and without good reason

covers wrong or improper use as well as wasteful loss
to abuse
vsto misuse
183 4.3

To use something in a way that harms

is about wrong or improper use rather than focusing on excess
to squander
vsto misuse
67 6.5

To use money, time, or chances in a foolish way

is broader, including wrong use beyond reckless wasting
to pervert
vsto misuse
16 7.2

Change the meaning or purpose so it becomes wrong

focuses on wrong use or wrong purpose rather than twisting meaning
to misapply
vsto misuse
5 6.3

To use something in a wrong or unsuitable way

is the general idea of using something wrongly or for wrong purpose
to misappropriate
vsto misuse
  • Formal
5 8.4

To take money or things you were trusted with and use them yourself

means wrong or improper use but does not require illegal taking
to misspend
vsto misuse
1 6.5

To spend time or money in a wasteful way

is the general wrong use idea, not limited to spending

How Correctly Used

to misuse
60 3.9
to abuse
183 4.3

Surface Forms

misuse infinitive
misused past
misused past participle
misusing present participle
misuses third person singular

Morphology

misuse = use (transparent) = mis + use

The verb is formed by prefixing 'mis-' (wrongly) to the verb 'use', yielding the clear meaning 'to use wrongly'.

Etymology

The verb misuse is built from mis- 'wrong' plus use 'to employ', the same mis- you see in mistake or mislead, so to misuse something is simply to 'use it wrongly' or for the wrong purpose.