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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of abuse
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
While the Tribune’s coverage was certainly powerful, we are reminded how those words also describe Chicagoans’ willingness to stand up to the many abuses inflicted on the city by this administration.
—Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
All of this has squandered public resources by requiring frivolous elections and special legislative sessions and abused the public’s trust.
—Dallas Morning News, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Noun
This abuse of power was obvious and alarming.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
While the Tribune’s coverage was certainly powerful, we are reminded how those words also describe Chicagoans’ willingness to stand up to the many abuses inflicted on the city by this administration.
—Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
Verb
For decades, extremist groups recruited in part by offering mutual aid to their members, many of whom had grown up neglected or abused and may have struggled with addiction and untreated mental illness, Simi said.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
All of this has squandered public resources by requiring frivolous elections and special legislative sessions and abused the public’s trust.
—Dallas Morning News, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abuse
Noun
-
The other guys are on their feet, trying to break it up, someone is calling someone else a loser, there are swings and kicks and insults, men grabbing at other men, trying to restrain them and busting the restraints.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
-
After discussion with my editors, ProPublica decided to note the insults in the story.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Alessio is a sharp critic of both the misuse of reserves and the term-limit gambit.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
But a confidential internal audit later seemed to suggest body camera misuse was more widespread, finding similar violations among patrol officers in three other divisions, including 77th Street.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Baldwin will play the mayor of the town and Rose, who founded anti-cyber-bullying platform Babes Against Bullying, his daughter.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
8 May 2026
-
Scott Rudin, who was the subject of allegations of bullying that provoked an industry reckoning on abusive workplace behavior in 2021, is a producer on the revival, which has become one of the unmissable events of the season.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
In fact, the Sixers will be better equipped to attack this Knicks flaw if Embiid can return at any point in the series.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
-
In one of the evening’s most striking moments, Raman accused Bass and Pratt of working together to attack her.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Foothill’s boys used their relays to place second in the team competition.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
9 May 2026
-
Vonblum says only four stops in the city qualify — and that all other stops near bus lanes are ineligible because the lanes can also be used by turning cars and by bicycles.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
For all the billionaire invasion criticism, the event has long been an advertising, media promotion and networking ritual for the wealthy and powerful, so what changed, really?—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
-
And Rubio’s diplomacy with the pope could fade, should Trump take to Truth Social later this week with more criticisms.—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
In 1969 she was put in solitary confinement for 491 days and tortured.—
Kate Bartlett,
NPR,
2 May 2026
-
Iranian American actor Anthony Azizi says the continuing Middle East conflict has sparked rising persecution of Iran’s Baha’i minority, including its members being jailed and tortured under the threat of execution.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The world’s second largest economy has been relatively insulated from the historic global oil crisis slamming its neighbors – including key regional US allies – due to China’s huge oil reserves, its high level of energy self-sufficiency and its early shift to green energy.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
-
These shards travel billions of light-years across the universe and slam into Earth’s atmosphere.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuse. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
