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

• contumelious
• invective
• opprobrious
• scurrile
• scurril
• scurrilous
• truculent
• vitriolic
• vituperative
• vituperatory

Examples of abusive in a Sentence

The fans yelled abusive comments to the referee.

protecting wives from abusive husbands

Recent Examples on the Web

Huge Fed Challenge—Sparking Stock Market Plunge As Gold And Bitcoin Price Soar New Gmail Warning — Do Not Open This Email From Google Cena called out fans for being abusive, only to cheer for Heel Cena without apologizing. —Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025

Spanking’s impact on a child is unfortunately similar to abusive hitting. —Christina Erickson, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2025

Elena holds her headstrong, intellectually gifted friend Lila in reverent admiration, but the girls’ paths diverge when Lila, who cannot afford to continue her education, marries an abusive man, while Elena goes to university and becomes a writer. —Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2025

The offending parents often grew up in abusive homes themselves. —Emily Putnam-Hornstein and Naomi Schaefer Riley, Twin Cities, 13 Apr. 2025

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