misrule

1 of 2

verb

mis·​rule ˌmis-ˈrül 

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

: disorder, anarchy

Synonyms

Verb

• misconduct
• abuse
• misgovern
• damage
• mismanage
• violate

Noun

• anarchy

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

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

Noun

Is there a carport at Alligator Alcatraz? Not just Boston but all New England is up against this appalling Democrat misrule. —Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 27 Aug. 2025

Other observers said that General Nguema had mainly benefited from the Gabonese people’s disenchantment with decades of misrule. —Elian Peltier, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing misrule

• lord of misrule

Rhymes for misrule

• ampoule
• bascule
• carpool
• cesspool
• ferrule
• footstool
• guayule
• lobule
• preschool
• pustule
• whirlpool
• boule

Kids Definition

misrule

1 of 2 verb

mis·​rule (ˈ)mis-ˈrül 

: to rule or govern badly

misrule

2 of 2 noun

1

: the action of misruling : the state of being misruled

2

: disorder entry 2 sense 1, anarchy