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abuse

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of abuse

1 harsh insulting language
  • Hometown fans hurled abuse at the visiting team.
Synonyms of abuse

fulmination, invective, vitriol, vituperation
Words Related to abuse

blasphemy, curse, profanity

epithet, insult, put-down, slur

expletive, swearword

aspersion, bad-mouthing, belittlement, disparagement, revilement, vilification

castigation, chastisement, criticism, excoriation, opprobrium, rebuke, reprimand, reproof

broadside, diatribe, harangue, polemic, tirade
Near Antonyms of abuse

acclaim, applause, commendation, praise

compliments, congratulations, endearments, felicitations

adulation, blarney, flattery, overpraise, soft soap
2 incorrect or improper use
  • The furniture had received a lot of abuse from the generations of kids in the family.
Synonyms of abuse

misapplication, misemployment, misusage, misuse, misutilization, perversion
Words Related to abuse

mishandling, mismanagement, mismanaging

ill-treatment, ill-usage, maltreatment, mistreatment

damage, destruction, ruin, spoiling, wrecking

corruption, debasement, desecration, profanation, prostitution
Near Antonyms of abuse

application, employment, use, utilization

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

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of abuse

1 to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
  • adopted a dog that had been abused
Synonyms of abuse

brutalize, bully, ill-treat, ill-use, kick around, maltreat, manhandle, mishandle, mistreat, misuse
Words Related to abuse

molest, outrage, violate

harass, harm, hurt, injure, oppress, persecute, torment, torture

burn, sandbag, victimize, wrong

beat (up), mess (up), rough (up), work (over)
Phrases Synonymous with abuse

take apart
Near Antonyms of abuse

care (for), cherish, foster, nurture

baby, cater (to), coddle, favor, gratify, humor, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil
2 to criticize harshly and usually publicly
  • a demanding, difficult patient who constantly abuses the nurses and aides
Synonyms of abuse

assail, attack, bash, belabor, blast, castigate, excoriate, jump (on), lambaste (or lambast), potshot, savage, scathe, slam, vituperate
Words Related to abuse

berate, harangue, harass, harry, revile, scold, whip

blaspheme, curse, execrate, imprecate, profane

affront, insult, slur

asperse, bad-mouth, belittle, blackguard, disparage, put down

libel, slander, traduce, vilify

chastise, chide, criticize, lace (into), rebuke, reprimand, reproof

fulminate, lash (out)
Phrases Synonymous with abuse

beat up on, light into, sail into, tie into
Near Antonyms of abuse

acclaim, commend, compliment, hail, laud, praise
3 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 of abuse

misapply, misemploy, misuse, pervert, profane, prostitute
Words Related to abuse

degrade, twist

mismanage

corrupt, debase, desecrate
Near Antonyms of abuse

apply, employ, use, utilize

respect
4 to take unfair advantage of
  • He abused his parents' trust.
Synonyms of abuse

capitalize (on), cash in (on), exploit, impose (on or upon), leverage, milk, play (on or upon), use, work
Words Related to abuse

jerk around, manipulate, mistreat

bleed, cheat, fleece, overcharge, skin, soak, stick

commercialize, commodify
Phrases Synonymous with abuse

trade on, walk on

Learn More about abuse

  1. See words that rhyme with abuse Dictionary: Definition of abuse Medical Dictionary: Definition of abuse Spanish Central: Translation of abuse Nglish: Translation of abuse for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of abuse for Arabic speakers

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