abuse

play

noun \ ə-ˈbyüs \

Definition of abuse

1 :a corrupt practice or custom

the buying of votes and other election abuses

2 :improper or excessive use or treatment :misuse

drug abuse

3 :language that condemns or vilifies usually unjustly, intemperately, and angrily

verbal abuse

a term of abuse

4 :physical maltreatment

child abuse

sexual abuse

5 obsolete :a deceitful act :deception

See abuse defined for English-language learners

Examples of abuse in a Sentence

He subjected his wife to physical and emotional abuse.
the buying of votes and other election abuses
She was subjected to every term of abuse her boss could think of.
a torrent of verbal abuse
The prisoner hurled abuse at the judge.

Recent Examples of abuse from the Web

The allegations of abuse were determined to be unfounded by New York State.

— elizabeth a. harris, New York Times, "Family of Boy Who Wears Dresses Sues Education Department," 29 Aug. 2017
House Bill 1774, which goes into effect Sept. 1, advocates for insurance companies to limit lawsuit abuses, Chron reports.

— veronica hilbring, Essence.com, "Hurricane Harvey: Here's Why Texans Might Need To File Insurance Claims ASAP," 28 Aug. 2017
The two main issues here are Taylor's tendency to become her own couples counselor and being triggered due to her past emotional abuse.

— elizabeth logan, Glamour, "'Bachelor in Paradise' Season 4 Episode 3A Recap: Love Triangles, Fights, and a Shocking Departure," 28 Aug. 2017
He was convicted of possession of drug abuse instruments and released from jail on June 20, less than a month earlier. ...

— keith bierygolick, Cincinnati.com, "Inside a record-breaking overdose," 24 Aug. 2017
Previously, the FDA endorsed opioid abuse technology innovations in the name of patient safety.

— Philly.com, "Commentary: FDA drug approvals should consider population health," 24 Aug. 2017
To meet the diagnostic criteria for alcoholism, a person must either fit the criteria of alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence.

— laura beck, Cosmopolitan, "New Study Finds Nearly 1 in 4 Americans Under the Age of 30 Is an Alcoholic," 12 Aug. 2017
The majority of inmates suffering from dependency are addicted to heroin, Capasso said, but the substance abuse unit is available to inmates with any type of addiction.

— erika butler, The Aegis, "Harford jail unit aids inmates serious about recovery from addiction," 7 Aug. 2017
The Star has reported that the county has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money to settle claims of abuse.

— matt campbell, kansascity, "Jackson County jail is in ‘crisis,’ consultant tells legislators in special meeting," 3 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abuse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of abuse

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin abūsus "misuse, waste," noun derivative from abūtī "to exhaust, use up, misuse," from ab- ab- + ūtī "to ²use"

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

abuse Synonyms

Synonyms

billingsgate, fulmination, invective, obloquy, scurrility, vitriol, vituperation

Near Antonyms

acclaim, applause, commendation, praise; compliments, congratulations, endearments, felicitations; adulation, blarney, flattery, overpraise, soft soap

Synonym Discussion of abuse

abuse, vituperation, invective, obloquy, billingsgate mean vehemently expressed condemnation or disapproval. abuse, the most general term, usually implies the anger of the speaker and stresses the harshness of the language.

- scathing verbal abuse

vituperation implies fluent and sustained abuse.

- a torrent of vituperation

invective implies a comparable vehemence but suggests greater verbal and rhetorical skill and may apply to a public denunciation.

- blistering political invective

obloquy suggests defamation and consequent shame and disgrace.

- subjected to obloquy and derision

billingsgate implies practiced fluency and variety of profane or obscene abuse.

- directed a stream of billingsgate at the cabdriver

abuse

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verb \ ə-ˈbyüz \

Definition of abuse

abused; abusing

transitive verb

1 a :to put to a wrong or improper use

abuse a privilege

b :to use excessively

abuse alcohol

; also :to use without medical justification

abusing painkillers

2 :to use or treat so as to injure or damage :maltreat

abused his wife

3 :to attack in words :revile

verbally abused the referee

4 obsolete :deceive

—

abusable

play \-ˈbyü-zə-bəl\ adjective

—

abuser

noun

See abuse defined for English-language learners

See abuse defined for kids

Examples of abuse in a Sentence

He was accused of sexually abusing a child.
He abused his body with years of heavy drinking.
He had abused his first car by not taking care of it.
She abused her friend's trust.
a senator who abuses his power
He abused my confidence by letting this secret be known.

Recent Examples of abuse from the Web

Bodybuilders have been known to abuse it to bulk up.

— mitch leslie, Science | AAAS, "Something is changing the sex of Costa Rican crocodiles," 30 Aug. 2017
But coming from cultures that had encountered alcohol centuries earlier, some of them had clear rules against abusing alcohol.

— Longreads, "America’s First Addiction Epidemic," 29 Aug. 2017
When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story, a TV One original film produced by Tasha Smith, follows the tragic life of a young teenage mom turned stripper turned brainwashed, abused murderer.

— ashley stoney, Essence.com, "Who Is The Real Falicia Blakely? Here Are Six Things To Know," 29 Aug. 2017
A few parents of the children who were abused attended the hearing, but none addressed the court publicly.

— Washington Post, "Former Maryland elementary school aide sentenced to 75 years for child sex abuse," 21 Aug. 2017
The Champagnat school founded by the Marist Brothers in downtown Buenos Aires recently reported that a lay brother allegedly abused a former student 38 years ago.

— almudena calatrava, The Seattle Times, "Clerical abuse scandal hits Argentine president’s school," 13 Aug. 2017
Now, there are of course situations in which abuse victims fail to realize they are being abused, are coerced into silence, and so forth.

— jesse singal, Daily Intelligencer, "A Bizarre Case at USC Shows How Broken Title IX Enforcement Is Right Now," 4 Aug. 2017
At the same time, she was being abused by her husband, Turner said.

— erin gallagher, Daily Southtown, "Golf outing honors memory of Crisis Center founder," 26 July 2017
A predator must carefully select his prey, and young black women are perpetually among the most in need, the most abused, and the least likely to tell.

— brittany packnett, The Cut, "R. Kelly Targets Women No One Cares to Defend," 18 July 2017

Origin and Etymology of abuse

Middle English abusen, borrowed from Anglo-French abuser, verbal derivative of abuse ¹abuse

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

abuse Synonyms

Synonyms

brutalize, bully, ill-treat, ill-use, kick around, maltreat, manhandle, mess over [slang], mishandle, mistreat, misuse, take apart

Related Words

molest, outrage, violate; harass, harm, hurt, injure, oppress, persecute, torment, torture; burn, sandbag, victimize, wrong; beat (up), mess (up), rough (up), work (over)

Near Antonyms

care (for), cherish, foster, nurture; baby, cater (to), coddle, favor, gratify, humor, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil

ABUSE Defined for Kids

abuse

play

noun \ ə-ˈbyüs \

Definition of abuse for Students

1 :wrong or unfair treatment or use

abuse of power

2 :the act or practice of improperly using or of using in harmful amounts

drug abuse

3 :harmful treatment of a person or an animal

4 :harsh insulting language

“Never a kind word for old Templeton, only abuse and wisecracks …”
—E. B. White, Charlotte's Web

5 :a dishonest practice

election abuses

abuse

play

verb \ ə-ˈbyüz \

Definition of abuse for Students

abused; abusing

1 :to treat in a cruel or harmful way

abuse an animal

2 :to use wrongly :misuse

abuse privileges

3 :to use improperly or in harmful amounts

abuse drugs

4 :to blame or scold rudely

Word Root of abuse

The Latin word ūtī, meaning “to use,” “to possess,” or “to enjoy,” and its form ūsus give us the roots ut and us. Words from the Latin ūtī have something to do with use. To use is to possess and enjoy. To abuse is to use something incorrectly or unfairly. Anything usual is commonly used by many people. A utensil is a tool that is used for a particular purpose, especially for eating or cooking.

Medical Dictionary

abuse

play

noun \ ə-ˈbyüs \

medical Definition of abuse

1 :improper or excessive use or treatment

drug abuse

long-term abuse of tranquilizers

2 :physical maltreatment: as

a :the act of violating sexually :rape

b under some statutes :rape or indecent assault not amounting to rape

abuse

play

transitive verb \ ə-ˈbyüz \

medical Definition of abuse

abused; abusing

1 :to use excessively

abuse alcohol

; also :to use without medical justification

abusing painkillers

2 :to treat so as to injure or damage

abuse a child

3 a :masturbate

b :to subject to abuse and especially to rape or indecent assault

—

abusable

play \-ˈbyü-zə-bəl\ adjective

—

abuser

noun

Law Dictionary

abuse

play

transitive verb \ ə-ˈbyüz \

legal Definition of abuse

abused; abusing

1 :to put to a use other than the one intended: as

a :to put to a bad or unfair use

abusing the powers of office

b :to put to improper or excessive use

abuse narcotics

2 a :to inflict physical or emotional mistreatment or injury on (as one's child) purposely or through negligence or neglect and often on a regular basis

b :to engage in sexual activity with (a child under an age specified by statute)

3 :to attack harshly with words

abuse a police officer

abuse a debtor

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abuser

noun

abuse

play

noun \ ə-ˈbyüs \

legal Definition of abuse

1 :improper, unfair, or excessive use

abuse of authority

drug abuse

2 a :the infliction of physical or emotional injury; also :the crime of inflicting such injury — see also battered child syndrome, battered woman's syndrome — compare cruelty, neglect

b :sexual abuse

3 :a verbal attack (as on a police officer in the performance of his or her duty); also :the crime of making such an attack