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
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Recent Examples of abuse
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 18 Apr. 2025
Behind her glamorous exterior, the real Dorothy was a closeted lesbian who struggled with substance abuse and was mistreated by the men within Hollywood’s studio system before ultimately committing suicide.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 17 Apr. 2025
Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
Prominent entertainment figures from Asia Argento to Rose McGowan to Ashley Judd have accused him of abusing his power and influence.
—Ilya Marritz, NPR, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Noun
Following that, Judge Subramanian denied a defense motion to throw out some of the counts in the indictment, but in a win for Combs’ lawyers barred testimony from two prosecution witnesses who were poised to discuss alleged abuse by Combs that occurred two decades ago.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 18 Apr. 2025
Behind her glamorous exterior, the real Dorothy was a closeted lesbian who struggled with substance abuse and was mistreated by the men within Hollywood’s studio system before ultimately committing suicide.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
Some were held at gunpoint and were physically abused or detained for resisting, according to Verstka, an independent Russian news outlet.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
Prominent entertainment figures from Asia Argento to Rose McGowan to Ashley Judd have accused him of abusing his power and influence.
—Ilya Marritz, NPR, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abuse
Noun
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The order is so blatant in its attempt to rewrite history that to call it Orwellian would be something of an insult to Big Brother.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
29 Apr. 2025
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Years of insults and escalating tension came to a boiling point during the first press conference when Eubank Jr. slapped Benn in the face with an egg—an act that drew outrage and went viral.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But now, Republicans in the state House of Representatives say the alleged misuse of funds may warrant a criminal investigation.—
Greg Allen,
NPR,
24 Apr. 2025
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But Boebert and local GOP legislators see it as a misuse of federal resources, warning of low ridership, excessive delays and a mismatch with rural transportation needs.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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There have been 604 bullying and harassment cases, an average of 55 a year.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2025
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So, thank you for bullying me into getting surgical hair replacement.—
Joey Nolfi,
EW.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The account commonly attacks news publications and posts comments criticizing reporting about Hegseth and the Defense Department.—
Eleanor Watson,
CBS News,
29 Apr. 2025
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According to Haynes, Lillard is motivated to attack his rehab and return to form.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Mangione handed arriving officers a fake New Jersey ID that was used at the New York City hostel days earlier and was subsequently arrested.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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The bonus will also be available to use for Game 3 between the Lakers and Timberwolves in Minnesota.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The move came after White House staffers lobbed criticism at comments made by Ruffin that were critical of the Trump administration.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
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This comes as the Trump administration has faced growing criticisms for its hurried proceedings to remove as many noncitizens from the country as quickly as possible.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Court's ruling requires DHS to provide basic procedural protections so that persons are not secretly removed to a country where they may be persecuted or tortured.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
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Michael Sang Correa was charged with torturing five men believed to be opponents of Yahya Jammeh following an unsuccessful plot to remove him from power in 2006.—
Colleen Slevin,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
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That, in the end, is the heart of the spectacle of Noem’s militaristic videos and Leavitt’s scolding and lies.—
Constance Grady,
Vox,
25 Apr. 2025
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Today's top stories President Trump scolded Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday after Russia launched a deadly strike on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuse. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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