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
Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
Fidesz and Tisza both have launched platforms for reporting irregularities, accusing their opponents of planning to commit election abuses.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
Chase Jordan
april 3, Charlotte Observer, 3 Apr. 2026
Annie Farmer, who accused Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell of abuse, said Bondi's ouster was about more than a single person because the government and judicial system repeatedly failed people who were abused.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Noun
Becky recalled opening up about the abuse to her sister, whom Jeffs also allegedly abused.
—Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
Fidesz and Tisza both have launched platforms for reporting irregularities, accusing their opponents of planning to commit election abuses.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
She was abused at least 100 times, according to the lawsuit.
—Chase Jordan
april 3, Charlotte Observer, 3 Apr. 2026
Annie Farmer, who accused Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell of abuse, said Bondi's ouster was about more than a single person because the government and judicial system repeatedly failed people who were abused.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abuse
Noun
-
It’s usually intended as an insult.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Villanueva’s claim that deputy gangs don’t exist and have never existed is an insult to the public and to the deputies who have spoken out about their direct experience dealing with these gangs of criminal officers.—
Rafael Perez,
Daily News,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Monitoring can help catch identity misuse earlier When identity theft happens, the first sign could be a new account or a transaction the account holder didn't authorize.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Software stocks sold off this week after Anthropic released its new Mythos model in a limited capacity, citing concerns of potential misuse by hackers.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Their daughter was bullied by fake nude images at school.—
Bethany Bruner,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Family believes others may be involved Relatives say Marcus went to the home simply to visit a friend – and that he had been bullied and threatened in the days leading up to the shooting.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The woman told officers that at some point, Morehead came back and brutally attacked her, including punching her in the face and stomach and dragging her back inside.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Two minutes later, Towns attacked Onyeka Okongwu off the dribble for a dunk.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When, in the early nineteen-hundreds, Gibson developed the F-style flat-back, inspired by the Stradivarius violin, the idea was to produce a louder instrument that could be used for classical as well as folk music, while being assembly-line-friendly.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Orbán has used his party's current supermajority in Hungarian parliament to undermine the independence of the judiciary, crack down on independent media, demonize migrants and discriminate against LGBTQ people, Human Rights Watch has said.—
Emmet Lyons,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Verbeek’s trade with Philadelphia to acquire Gauthier in January 2024 has been widely praised, but his decision to ship center Trevor Zegras to the Flyers last summer has received criticism while Zegras thrives in Philadelphia.—
Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The sheriff previously declined to honor certain federal immigration detainers, drawing criticism from state lawmakers and prompting legislative changes.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Countless thousands were displaced, tortured and killed, but what became of Gerson and Inlender’s ancestors?—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The house of another, Carlotta Walls, was bombed a month before her graduation, and the police subsequently tortured her father in an unsuccessful attempt to coerce a confession.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Pitchfork,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The crash happened Monday along Highway 65 in Franklin County, where officials say the vehicle left the roadway, crossed into the opposite lane and slammed into a tree line before catching fire.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
When Daisy slams the bedroom door in frustration, June can’t help but smile at the cliched rebellion.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuse. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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