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
Eric Adler
april 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026
Studies are mixed on whether educating parents about the dangers of roughly handling a baby is an effective technique in preventing child abuse, Chiesa said.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
The Dems accuse Hegseth of starting an 'unauthorized' war, illegally targeting civilians, recklessly handling sensitive military information, obstructing Congress and abusing power.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Noun
He was being kept alive as evidence in a Raytown animal abuse case.
—Eric Adler
april 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026
Studies are mixed on whether educating parents about the dangers of roughly handling a baby is an effective technique in preventing child abuse, Chiesa said.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
The Baltimore Archdiocese filed for bankruptcy after Maryland's Attorney General in 2023 found that more than 600 children were abused under the church's supervision.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
The Dems accuse Hegseth of starting an 'unauthorized' war, illegally targeting civilians, recklessly handling sensitive military information, obstructing Congress and abusing power.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abuse
Noun
-
There are comic insults and lines of great beauty.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The president often hurled insults at Bezos and his ownership of The Washington Post, as well as his tax record.—
Annie Palmer,Justin Papp,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The law protects patient information from misuse, not TPAs from plan audits.—
Jordan Bruneau,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Her case is one of several federal prosecutions in Georgia tied to alleged misuse of pandemic unemployment benefits, as officials continue to investigate fraud connected to COVID-era relief programs.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Unfortunately, Trump’s bullying style of diplomacy does not engender a willingness by allies and friends to step forward and provide assistance to our efforts in Iran.—
Tom Jurkowsky,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Boerkircher, playing at Nebraska, bullied Hunter for more than 15 yards before Hunter ripped off his helmet.—
Mark Long,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Clayton Peavey, 31, used a concrete brick to attack a Chick-fil-A employee in March, leaving her with several gashes on her head and requiring stitches.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Mendoza is accurate to all three levels of the field and has developed a great understanding of when and where to attack down the field.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Jaguars used their first pick of the NFL draft to land the blocking tight end Friday night, grabbing him in the second round with the 56th selection.—
Mark Long,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The department’s news release about the fire included a reminder for drivers to use caution when pulling over near dry grass or vegetation.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
His first collection, Death of a Naturalist, was published by Faber and Faber in 1966 and was followed by eleven other volumes of poetry, as well as collections of literary criticism, anthologies, translations, and verse plays.—
Nick Laird,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
With Minnesota viewing them as soft, the Nuggets hardly seem bothered by the criticism.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the governments of US and Iran try to negotiate a peace deal, many Iranians are still being arrested, tortured and executed, according to rights groups.—
Dana Karni,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
-
In December 2019, an immigration judge granted Rivera Ortega protection under the Convention Against Torture, a United Nations treaty designed to protect people who could be tortured if deported.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wembanyama lurched forward, toppled and slammed the right side of his face on the floor.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Their 4-3 advantage set the stage for KC’s bullpen to slam the door.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuse. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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