Meaning & use
misuse
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To use something incorrectly, carelessly, or for a purpose it was not intended for.
Grammar: Takes an object: misuse a tool. Often used with abstract nouns like 'power' or 'funds'.
Patterns
- misuse something
- misuse something as something
He misused the company's money for personal trips.
Don't misuse the equipment; read the manual first.
The report says the officer misused his authority.
nouncountable or uncountable
Incorrect, careless, or improper use of something.
Grammar: Can be countable (a misuse) or uncountable (misuse of power). Often followed by 'of': misuse of drugs.
Patterns
- misuse of something
- a misuse of something
The misuse of antibiotics can make infections harder to treat.
There have been reports of misuse of public funds.
This is a clear misuse of the system.
Word forms
| third person singular | misuses |
|---|---|
| past tense | misused |
| past participle | misused |
| -ing form | misusing |
| plural | misuses |
Common combinations
- misuse of power
- The scandal involved a serious misuse of power.
- drug misuse
- Drug misuse is a growing problem in many communities.
- misuse of funds
- The audit revealed misuse of funds by the manager.
- misuse a word
- It's easy to misuse a word if you don't know its exact meaning.
Synonyms and how they differ
- abuse
- Often stronger and suggests harmful or cruel use; 'misuse' is more neutral and can mean simply using something wrongly.
- misapply
- More formal and often used for rules or ideas applied wrongly; 'misuse' is more general.
Opposites
Word family
- misused adjective
- Used incorrectly or unfairly.
Commonly confused: misuse or abuse?
misuse vs abuse
Abuse can mean cruel treatment or excessive use; misuse simply means wrong or careless use. 'Drug abuse' suggests harmful addiction, while 'drug misuse' can include taking medicine incorrectly.
Practice
The manager was accused of ______ company funds for personal use.
Choose one answer.
After the preposition 'of', we need a gerund (-ing form), so 'misusing' is correct. 'Misuse' is the base form or noun, 'misused' is past tense, and 'misuses' is third person singular; none fit after 'of'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “misuse”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.