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
Kayti Burt, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
The plan stresses the call on whether to force a person into treatment for substance abuse would ultimately lie with a medical professional as well as the courts, which would need to sign off after hearing evidence on the need for hospitalization.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2025
Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
One of the teenage girls abused by Epstein, Virginia Giuffre, was recruited in 2000 by his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.
—Chris Brennan, USA Today, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Noun
Part of this is delving into the role Jung’s second-in-command, Jung Jo-eun, played in allowing his abuse of female followers to continue.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
The plan stresses the call on whether to force a person into treatment for substance abuse would ultimately lie with a medical professional as well as the courts, which would need to sign off after hearing evidence on the need for hospitalization.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
Epstein was thought to have abused hundreds of girls.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
One of the teenage girls abused by Epstein, Virginia Giuffre, was recruited in 2000 by his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.
—Chris Brennan, USA Today, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abuse
Noun
-
Several diss tracks followed, with the musicians hurling increasingly spiteful insults at each other relating to accusations of domestic abuse, exploitation and pedophilia.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Aug. 2025
-
According to a cell phone video, obtained through CAIR, the man shouted several Islamophobic insults, including insults attacking Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Encourage teams to stress-test AI systems for bias, misuse or unintended impact before launch.—
Sarah Choudhary,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Family members described mental health symptoms in the majority of them, and alcohol and substance misuse were reported in approximately one-third.—
David B. Sarwer,
The Conversation,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
McMillan is used to bullying significantly less talented and shorter corners in the college sphere.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Vulnerable and disabled people will be targeted and bullied into ending their lives.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The green and whites play excellent attacking soccer and with Isco pulling the strings there is always a chance Betis could upset a big club.—
Vitas Carosella,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Cardi also dropped a trailer for the album, showing her inside a house as crows swarm and attack her mansion.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The mobile booking facility — something typically used during civil unrest, according to Thiel — will not entirely free up officers, but should make arrests and citations faster, Thiel and Johnson said.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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When a post violates those guidelines, Moonshot will file formal reports and use the team to lean on companies to expedite the removal or censorship of that post.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Two weeks after first pointing a firehose of blistering criticism at the Donald Trump administration, South Park is still going full bore against Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
13 Aug. 2025
-
YouTube and other social media platforms are cracking down on age verification measures after facing criticism that teens could circumvent their safeguards by signing up with a fake birthdate.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
For more than three weeks, Halimi was held hostage and tortured.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Initially, Patricia had been kept blindfolded and tied to a chair in the same house where José was tortured.—
Sam Gillette,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Some have also scolded Colossal for tinkering with genetics, but the tech firm insists its work will aid in the conservation and protection of endangered species.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
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With the camel’s back broken, Dorothy Scott, summoning all her righteous indignation (and channeled with maybe one-third of Audra McDonald’s extraordinary talent, which is still enough to power the city of Manhattan), lets the snobby scold have it.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuse. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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