abusive

adjective

abu·​sive ə-ˈbyü-siv 

also -ziv

1

a

: using harsh, insulting language

an angry and abusive crowd

b

: harsh and insulting

abusive language

c

: using or involving physical violence or emotional cruelty

abusive behavior

an abusive husband

an abusive relationship

2

: characterized by wrong or improper use or action

especially : corrupt

abusive financial practices

abusively adverb

abusiveness noun

Synonyms of abusive

• insulting
• outrageous
• obscene
• vituperative
• malicious
• offensive
• scurrilous
• vitriolic
• opprobrious
• invective

Examples of abusive in a Sentence

The fans yelled abusive comments to the referee.

protecting wives from abusive husbands

Recent Examples on the Web

My escape plan was romantic but nearly impossible—a single mother with no international connections trying to get an MBA abroad while hiding from an abusive ex-husband? —Tamar Gakharia, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

For many creatives, the fear of being ‘cancelled’ or blacklisted from the industry is often more powerful than their fear of remaining in an abusive environment. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 May 2026

Increasingly, the non-public-facing evidence presented in court depicts not an abusive relationship per se, but a tumultuous one with a lot of ups and downs, one that suggests, perhaps, that a 20-year-old and a 17-year-old ought not to have been living together. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 28 May 2026

The company's board was told that Albert Manifold was verbally abusive and bullying toward employees, and had mishandled company information, according to the WSJ. —Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 27 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Anglo-French abusif "misplaced, wrong, in error," borrowed from Late Latin abūsīvus "misused, catachrestic," from Latin abūsus, past participle of abūtī "to abuse entry 2" + -īvus -ive

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for abusive

• allusive
• collusive
• conclusive
• conducive
• delusive
• diffusive
• elusive
• exclusive
• extrusive
• illusive
• inclusive
• intrusive

Kids Definition

abusive

adjective

abu·​sive ə-ˈbyü-siv 

-ziv

: using or characterized by abuse

abusively adverb

abusiveness noun

Legal Definition

abusive

adjective

abu·​sive ə-ˈbyü-siv, -ziv 

1

: characterized by wrong or improper use or action

abusive tax shelters

2

: inflicting verbal or physical abuse

abusive parents

abusively adverb