as in insulting
marked by harsh insulting language
never one to believe that honorable people can disagree honorably, he invariably launches abusive attacks against anyone who dares to challenge him
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abusive
The four-part Investigation Discovery series The Fall of Diddy looks into the making and unmaking of the producer-performer-entrepreneur, revealing a history of alleged abusive and destructive behavior by Combs that dates to the late 1980s.
—
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 26 Apr. 2025
And the episode just before this one argued that an abusive man in that mold can be bested by women, plural, who are looking out for and working alongside one another.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
Maureen Maher: Molly has said that Jason was verbally abusive, had started becoming physically abusive.
—Maureen Maher, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for abusive
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 26 Apr. 2025
And the episode just before this one argued that an abusive man in that mold can be bested by women, plural, who are looking out for and working alongside one another.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
Maureen Maher: Molly has said that Jason was verbally abusive, had started becoming physically abusive.
—Maureen Maher, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for abusive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abusive
Adjective
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The idea that women need to be properly taught how to conceive a child through a government program is a particularly insulting proposal, says Reshma Saujani, the founder and CEO of Moms First.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
22 Apr. 2025
-
But in March, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle in Tacoma, Wash., ruled for several long-serving transgender military members who say that the ban is insulting and discriminatory and that their firing would cause lasting damage to their careers and reputations.—
Mark Sherman,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Stripping a legislator of the power to vote over her opinions is outrageous.—
Dan McLaughlin,
National Review,
2 May 2025
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This is outrageous and the railroad must be overruled by President Trump and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and New York politicians, particularly Republicans who have good relations with the White House, have to raise the alarm.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The investigation began when detectives with the Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit served a search warrant in Bakersfield based on a tip about a person who was in possession and used obscene material involving an underage girl, authorities announced in a news release on Tuesday.—
Nathan Solis,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2025
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With his plea, a federal indictment relating to transfer of obscene material to a minor would not be pursued.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
5 May 2025
Adjective
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The United States has expended millions of dollars’ worth of defensive and offensive ordnance.—
The Editors,
National Review,
8 May 2025
-
Tua Tagovailoa can get the ball out with a rebuilt offensive line will matter a great deal.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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The ransomware attacks in question started with malicious Google Ads deployed by the threat actors.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
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The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Unlike Rhoades, a vituperative colossus, however, Williams brings a steely determination and a Joe Friday, just-the-facts mien to his lawyering in the court of public opinion.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
4 Oct. 2024
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This dynamic has grown most acute between Iran and Saudi Arabia, whose tit-for-tat exchange is growing ever more vituperative and violent.—
Kenneth M. Pollack,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Feb. 2016
Adjective
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One upshot was Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which to this day insulates social media from legal liability for the content — however incendiary or scurrilous — that users post.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2025
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Facts won’t deter Republicans on this point, however, for the same reason that Trump and his running mate, J. D. Vance, keep repeating their scurrilous lies about Haitian immigrants eating the pets of Ohio: white anxiety about a diversifying country has become one of the Party’s greatest assets.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
The New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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So despite invective aimed at Trump and DOGE, limiting executive power is hardly what progressives want.—
Clyde Wayne Crews Jr,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
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In the same year, Disney’s ESPN had to contend with host Pat McAfee, a rambunctious host, hurling invective at a former senior executive, Norby Williamson, who the host alleged had tried to sabotage his program.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abusive. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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