1
as in bullied
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
if you abuse your pet, he will always have an ugly disposition
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacked
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 misused
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 exploited
to take unfair advantage of
abused his parents' trust, pilfering small amounts from them that he hoped they wouldn't notice
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in maltreated
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abused
Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
Since 2019, The Gentle Barn in Christiana, Tennessee, has been a nonprofit respite for abused or neglected animals that couldn't be housed elsewhere.
—Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 29 July 2024
Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2025
The deputy asked authorities in Texas to check on the girl, and she was returned to Missouri, where child welfare officials had gotten a tip several months earlier that the girl was being abused.
—Heather Hollingsworth, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abused
Verb
The ear is at once a clue and a harbinger that leads him to an abused woman, Dorothy (Rossellini).
—Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
Since 2019, The Gentle Barn in Christiana, Tennessee, has been a nonprofit respite for abused or neglected animals that couldn't be housed elsewhere.
—Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 29 July 2024
Adjective
Detectives also discovered that since March 2024, Powell physically abused the woman in past incidents.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2025
The deputy asked authorities in Texas to check on the girl, and she was returned to Missouri, where child welfare officials had gotten a tip several months earlier that the girl was being abused.
—Heather Hollingsworth, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abused
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abused
Verb
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Unfortunately for them, Steph won’t be bullied – even by paternalistic threats of being sued into oblivion.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
23 Dec. 2024
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Ortiz alleged she was bullied, harassed and neglected by district staff, including the case manager.—
Jessika Harkay,
Hartford Courant,
20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Workers who were motivated by their belief in public service are being attacked on a daily basis.—
Gary Phelan,
Hartford Courant,
24 Mar. 2025
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The conflict began after Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.—
Kevin Sabet,
Newsweek,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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His methods made impressive profits quickly, as overlapping technologies were dropped and economies of scale exploited.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
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Uncovering these vulnerabilities before they can be exploited is key to protecting users from those who would do them and their data harm.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Councilmember Bob Holden slammed Hochul for this, arguing that the city and state simply need to enforce existing laws instead of changing them.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
3 Jan. 2025
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The statement sparked outrage with GOP lawmakers, who slammed Allstate for not explicitly condemning terrorism.—
Jackson Walker,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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When used thoroughly, AI can allow faster decisions, boost output and shorten the time to market.—
Peter Benei,
Forbes,
3 Jan. 2025
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Likewise, consumers should be aware of how their data is being used.—
Eva Epker,
Forbes,
28 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This country is being manipulated by two people — and those too afraid to have the courage to oppose them.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
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In Season 4 of the Max comedy, Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels have manipulated their way into their respective dream jobs as host and head writer of a late-night talk show on network TV.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Mayor Adams is planning to travel to the Dominican Republic early next week to mourn the tragic Santo Domingo nightclub roof collapse that killed 221 people and left over 150 injured.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
11 Apr. 2025
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Everyone onboard the Cessna 310 aircraft were killed in the fiery crash in Boca Raton, while a fourth person on the ground — who was driving at the time — was left injured, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The plaintiffs seek a declaratory judgment that the commission, by approving the plans, has violated their fundamental rights.—
Amy Green,
Orlando Sentinel,
24 Dec. 2024
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Months later, the Department of Justice concluded that five Texas juvenile detention centers violated children's constitutional and civil rights.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA TODAY,
24 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Abused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abused. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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