misused
Handled the wrong way
Misused is the past tense of misuse—to use something incorrectly or for the wrong purpose.
A tool can be misused by applying it to the wrong task.
Power or authority is misused when exercised improperly or abused: The funds were misused for personal expenses.
Words are misused when employed with the wrong meaning: People often misuse "literally" to mean "figuratively." Something misused isn't necessarily damaged, just applied wrongly.
Treated harmfully or wrongly
- exploitedUnfairly utilized for benefit
- corruptDishonest, open to bribes
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
- positionLocation or stance
trust · influence · manipulated · overreached · tyrannical · oppressive · autocratic · violated
Used without good result
- squanderedCarelessly used up
- depletedSeverely reduced or emptied
- exploitedUnfairly utilized for benefit
- divertedTurned from original path
allocated · taxpayer · funds · budget · embezzled · frittered · drained · misspent
Incorrectly comprehended
- misspokenSaid incorrectly
- malapropismSound-alike word confusion
- incorrectNot accurate or true
- improperLacking in propriety
literally · irony · literally · misquoted · mispronounced · grammar · context · semantics
Took harmful excess
- abusedTreated harmfully or wrongly
- recreationalRelated to enjoyment activities
- prescriptionMedical dispensing authorization
- illicitProhibited by law
dependency · addiction · self-medicated · dosage · contraindicated · interactions · warnings · pharmaceutical
Lacking in propriety
- incorrectNot accurate or true
- damagedMade worse by injury
- brokenDamaged beyond function
- unsafeLikely to cause harm
instructions · manual · warranty · malfunction · operator · error · negligence · training
abused
Treated harmfully or wrongly
- exploitedUnfairly utilized for benefit
- corruptDishonest, open to bribes
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
position · trust · influence · manipulated · overreached · tyrannical · oppressive · autocratic · violated · betrayed
wasted
Used without good result
- squanderedCarelessly used up
- depletedSeverely reduced or emptied
- exploitedUnfairly utilized for benefit
diverted · allocated · taxpayer · funds · budget · embezzled · frittered · drained · misspent · appropriated
misunderstood
Incorrectly comprehended
- misspokenSaid incorrectly
- malapropismSound-alike word confusion
- incorrectNot accurate or true
improper · literally · irony · literally · misquoted · mispronounced · grammar · context · semantics · connotation
overdosed
Took harmful excess
- abusedTreated harmfully or wrongly
- recreationalRelated to enjoyment activities
- prescriptionMedical dispensing authorization
illicit · dependency · addiction · self-medicated · dosage · contraindicated · interactions · warnings · pharmaceutical · controlled
improper
Lacking in propriety
unsafe · instructions · manual · warranty · malfunction · operator · error · negligence · training · calibration
- misuse of fundsImproper allocation of money
- substance misuseHarmful use of drugs/alcohol
- drug misuseHarmful use of substances
- data misuseImproper handling of information
- prescription misuseImproper use of medications
- apostrophe misuseIncorrect placement of punctuation mark