misrule

1 of 2

verb

mis·​rule ˌmis-ˈrül How to pronounce misrule (audio)
misruled; misruling; misrules

transitive verb

: to rule incompetently : misgovern

misrule

2 of 2

noun

1
: the action of misruling : the condition of being misruled
2

Examples of misrule in a Sentence

Verb accused of misruling his island nation to the point of economic collapse Noun The people of that country have endured many years of misrule. the country's long period of misrule had made it a hotbed for terrorist organizations
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
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 Although bin Laden eventually was killed and his al-Qaida network blunted as an international threat, Afghans are still caught in a cycle of violence and misrule with no end in sight. Robert Burns, Anchorage Daily News, 18 July 2021
Noun
Hamas is an oppressive, misogynistic and homophobic organization whose misrule has hurt Palestinians and Israelis alike. Nicholas Kristof, The Mercury News, 8 June 2024 Combined with chronic misrule by the authority, the exclusion of a wide range of Palestinian political factions and political orientations has left the PLO and the PA with very little standing among Palestinians. Salam Fayyad, Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2023 See all Example Sentences for misrule 

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misrule was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near misrule

Cite this Entry

“Misrule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misrule. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

misrule

1 of 2 verb
mis·​rule (ˈ)mis-ˈrül How to pronounce misrule (audio)
: to rule or govern badly

misrule

2 of 2 noun
1
: the action of misruling : the state of being misruled
2

More from Merriam-Webster on misrule

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!