1
as in insult
harsh insulting language
hometown fans hurled abuse at the visiting team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in misuse
incorrect or improper use
naturally the furniture had received a lot of abuse from the 10 kids in the family
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to bully
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
if you abuse your pet, he will always have an ugly disposition
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to attack
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
a demanding, difficult patient who constantly abuses the nurses and aides
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to misuse
to put to a bad or improper use
if you abuse your baseball bat by using it to hammer nails, don't expect it to last long
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to use
to take unfair advantage of
abused his parents' trust, pilfering small amounts from them that he hoped they wouldn't notice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of abuse
Andrea Sachs The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
28 June 2026
The sheriff’s office said in a news release last week that it had been contacted in April about allegations of fraud, animal abuse and animal cruelty at the rescue and that the case had been assigned to the Major Crimes Division.
—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
28 June 2026
AJC.com,
18 June 2026
Uber’s campaign accused trial attorneys of unethically abusing their clients and attorneys said the company is attempting restructure longstanding civil justice laws to escape accountability for harm caused by its drivers.
—
Andrew Graham,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Noun
Last year, the driver was found not guilty of animal abuse.
—
Andrea Sachs The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
28 June 2026
The sheriff’s office said in a news release last week that it had been contacted in April about allegations of fraud, animal abuse and animal cruelty at the rescue and that the case had been assigned to the Major Crimes Division.
—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
28 June 2026
Verb
Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Sweepstakes or website, who act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified and all associated entries will be void.
—
AJC.com,
18 June 2026
Uber’s campaign accused trial attorneys of unethically abusing their clients and attorneys said the company is attempting restructure longstanding civil justice laws to escape accountability for harm caused by its drivers.
—
Andrew Graham,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abuse
Noun
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In recent weeks, Avila Chevalier has been under a microscope for her past tweets, including posts calling for defunding the police and abolishing the border, alongside harsh insults of big-name Democrats such as former Vice President Kamala Harris.
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Michael Lind, the writer and New America co-founder, argues in Commonplace, the magazine of Oren Cass’s American Compass, that a decent wage and a safety net should be enough, and that handing workers a stake in capital insults the dignity of their labor.
Noun
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The risk increases further with agentic AI because the technology can move beyond assisting employees to acting on their behalf, which expands the likelihood of error, misuse, credential abuse, data leakage and unintended business disruption.
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For example, youth who develop self-harm behavior or substance misuse may require additional monitoring and may be allowed less privacy to ensure their safety.
Verb
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This legislation helps our state meet current challenges and ensures bullying via AI is addressed in the school code.
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Muslim students continue to report the highest rates of bullying among religious groups in the country.
Verb
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His pace routinely bothered Sweden, including on one impressive solo run in the first half that produced a quality attacking scenario.
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The video then shows the woman throwing Martinez to the ground, grabbing her by the hair and repeatedly attacking her as bystanders try to step in and help.
Verb
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That agreement set a 60-day period for negotiations on key issues, including the future of Tehran’s nuclear program amid concerns that Iran wants to use it for military purposes, a claim the country denies.
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The individuals said the restoration will help ensure the organizations can use the model for defensive cyber purposes.
Noun
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The Supreme Court's decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 160,000 Haitians in South Florida and hundreds of thousands more nationwide has drawn sharp criticism from local officials and raised concerns about the future of families in the region.
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The investigation also compliments previous claims that CCC’s regulations impede coastal infrastructure projects, which has drawn criticism from multiple political fronts over the last year.
Verb
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Wayne County prosecutors allege that on June 17, Montgomery tortured and burned a raccoon at a home in the 12000 block of Washburn Street in Detroit and posted a video on social media of the animal being burned alive.
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In fact, the disease has been torturing humans for at least 5,500 years, according to a study published today in the journal Nature .
Verb
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Hakimi fired off the corner, followed by a header by Chadi Riad that was picked up by Rahimi, who slammed it into the upper right of the net.
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Goldman was slammed for refusing to decline support during this race from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, which has become a significant split in various Democratic primaries this year.
Cite this Entry
“Abuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuse. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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