miswield

verb

1. To wield incorrectly or inappropriately.

   “If his father miswielded his crutch and accidentally toppled the water bucket, Revas swore he'd left the pail in the way.”

   “But it isn't just far-right wackos who miswield the term: More moderate folks who aren't well versed in feminist history or theory tend to associate any outspoken expression of feminist leanings as "radical," so that any instance of speaking up, even softly, becomes associated with the word.”

   “So flagrantly did these gentlemen miswield the “running iron,” that several States eventually forbade its use by anybody, and everywhere its mere possession gave rise to suspicion.”

   “Critical thinking (especially abused and miswielded by academics in the humanities, resulting in harmful post-modern ideologies that make illogical claims attacking the concept of truth itself) is often a dog whistle for the specific ideology of the professors that spread them.”