General Terms:
* Misused: This is a very common and straightforward term.
* Improvised: Suggests resourcefulness and creativity.
* Adapted: Implies a deliberate change in usage.
* Re-purposed: Focuses on finding a new use for something.
More Specific Terms:
* Hacked: Implies a clever or unconventional use, often in a technical context.
* Co-opted: Suggests something originally intended for one purpose is being used for another, often with a negative connotation.
* Appropriated: Similar to "co-opted," but implies a more deliberate act of taking something for a different purpose.
* Diverted: Indicates something is being used for a different purpose than its intended one, often with a sense of being taken away from its original purpose.
Informal Terms:
* Juiced: Used for an object being used for something unexpected, especially in a creative or humorous way.
* Gimmicked: Implies using something in a way that is not its intended purpose, often to gain an advantage.
The best word to use will depend on the specific context and the intended meaning.