MISGOVERN Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

misgovern

verb

ˌmis-ˈgə-vərn

Definition of misgovern

as in to misconduct

to manage badly the ruling party was soundly defeated at the polls for having disastrously misgoverned the country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of misgovern But a ruling class that systematically blinds itself to the most profound longings of human beings will misunderstand and misgovern those under its sway. — Benjamin and Jenna Storey, WSJ, 12 Oct. 2021

Recent Examples of Synonyms for misgovern

Verb

In addition, referees were instructed to apply the rules regarding fouls and misconducts more strictly – a move meant to protect players and their inventiveness.

— Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 26 May 2026

Definition of misconduct

Verb

Founders often mismanage their crucial first sales hire, mistakenly seeking candidates suited for large corporations.

— Kate Morgan, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Target has been criticized for mismanaging inventory, under-investing in stores and falling behind on the trendy, eye-catching merchandise the retailer built its name on.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 22 June 2026

Definition of mismanage

Verb

Romanian airspace had been violated by Russian drones at least 23 times so far this year -- already more than the 18 incidents recorded between 2022 and the end of 2025.

— David Brennan, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
Compliance and legal teams need to be able to audit why an employee used AI to draft a customer contract, verify guardrails were in place and ensure the output didn't violate regulatory requirements.

— Victor Riparbelli, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of violate

Verb

Jarrett, the elder brother, was eventually taken in by a man who later abused him, a victimizer who then set his sights on Baylon.

— Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026
Market power can be abused, and a transaction involving companies this significant deserves careful regulatory scrutiny.

— Cory Jacobson, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of abuse

Verb

The result is a society that feels both rule-bound and misruled, saturated with laws and yet strangely lawless.

— Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2025
Congo had been brutally misruled by Belgium for over 70 years when the winds of change blew through in the late 1950s.

— Zachariah Mampilly, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023

Definition of misrule

Browse Nearby Words

misgivings

misgovern

misgoverned

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Misgovern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misgovern. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of misgovern

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

prowess

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes