misuse

IPA: mɪsjˈuz

(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.

Examples of "misuse" in Sentences

The recent LUBA appeal on Urban Renewal misuse is a beginning.
Merciful Lord, deliver the world from people who claim your name misuse Your word to perpetuate evil.
What constitutes apostrophe misuse is less clear-cut than you might suppose after visiting name-and-shame-type websites.
I don't believe in misuse of 'bad' language, and would only use it to 'show' something about a character that could not be shown otherwise.
My dyslexia prevents me from noticing a lot of my atrocious misspellings, not to mention the fact that sometimes, I just plain misuse words.
Patron confuses “lay” and “lie” in a line of dialogue on page 4, and while you could argue that this misuse is in character for the speaker, she makes similar lapses in expository passages.
The front lawn of the Greene County Courthouse in Downtown Greeneville was filled with hundreds of citizens Thursday night, protesting what they describe as the misuse of federal tax dollars.