| Rating | Solver | Clue |
|---|---|---|
| ILLTREAT | Misuse | |
| MISUSEMENT | Misuse. | |
| ILL TREATMENT | Misuse (3-9) | |
| ILL-TREATMENT | Misuse (3-9) | |
| SQUANDER | Misuse (resources) | |
| MALAPROPISM | A grotesque misuse of a word; a word so used. | |
| MUDDLE | To waste or misuse, as one does who is stupid or intoxicated. | |
| SPILL | To mar; to injure; to deface; hence, to destroy by misuse; to waste. | |
| MISIMPROVE | To use for a bad purpose; to abuse; to misuse; as, to misimprove time, talents, advantages, etc. | |
| MISUSE | To treat or use improperly; to use to a bad purpose; to misapply; as, to misuse one's talents. | |
| RHOTACISM | An oversounding, or a misuse, of the letter r; specifically (Phylol.), the tendency, exhibited in the Indo-European languages, to change s to r, as wese to were. | |
| DILAPIDATE | To bring into a condition of decay or partial ruin, by misuse or through neglect; to destroy the fairness and good condition of; -- said of a building. | |
| ABUSE | Improper treatment or use; application to a wrong or bad purpose; misuse; as, an abuse of our natural powers; an abuse of civil rights, or of privileges or advantages; an abuse of language. | |