Synonyms

misemploy

American

[mis-em-ploi] / ˌmɪs ɛmˈplɔɪ /

verb (used with object)

to use for the wrong purpose; use wrongly or improperly; misuse.

Other Word Forms

misemployment noun

Etymology

Origin of misemploy

First recorded in 1600–10; mis- ¹ + employ

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Misemploy, mis-em-ploi′, v.t. to employ wrongly or amiss: to misuse.—n.

From Project Gutenberg

Misemploy′ment, ill-employment: improper application: misuse.

From Project Gutenberg

Now put the Case that a Magistrate should make a wrong Judgment of Matters, and misemploy those Powers; it were an Infelicity in the Administration; but the Sacredness of Authority is still the same: And he is a Mad man, that plucks down his House, because it rains in at the Window.

From Project Gutenberg

Do misemploy, misuse, and pervert apply to persons or things?

From Project Gutenberg

Misemploy, misuse, and pervert are commonly applied to objects rather than to persons.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023