as in maltreated
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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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacked
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
a demanding, difficult patient who constantly abuses the nurses and aides
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abused
The Marshall Project, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
His wife convinced him there would be no better home for this abused infant than theirs.
—Scott Craven, AZCentral.com, 10 July 2025
Arianna Huffington, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
She was enslaved by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who reportedly abused and murdered her in 2015.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abused
Adjective
Neuroscientists have found that an abused child’s brain will not mature as easily.
—The Marshall Project, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
His wife convinced him there would be no better home for this abused infant than theirs.
—Scott Craven, AZCentral.com, 10 July 2025
Verb
Others abused alcohol and drugs, were separated and divorced, or acted out violently.
—Arianna Huffington, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
She was enslaved by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who reportedly abused and murdered her in 2015.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abused
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abused
Verb
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An unverified report circulated over the weekend that said Brown claimed Harbour bullied her on set.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
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The complaint alleges Kalumbula didn't protect the student when other students bullied him for having gay parents.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Crabtree stopped, turned, attacked the ball and snagged it.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Nelson claimed to police that the man attacked her and their son after opening the car door.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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This embrace of democratized filmmaking essentially sets Miller apart from del Toro, who has voiced anxiety about AI being misused by the masses.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
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But now the justices will hear about how that tool may be misused.—
Ailsa Chang,
NPR,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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According to the complaint, authorities believe the same individual similarly exploited at least 26 other children using online platforms.—
Laura Romero,
ABC News,
6 Nov. 2025
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Often the updates help keep you safe by patching loopholes in previous versions of software that scammers exploited.—
Shelby Slade,
AZCentral.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The attorneys for the Department of Justice argued that the preliminary injunction blocking Abrego Garcia’s removal to Liberia should be dissolved because the government received assurances from the government of the West African country that he will not be persecuted or tortured.—
Laura Romero,
ABC News,
8 Nov. 2025
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Of the few that have arrived in what Saraf describes as a small agricultural town, many have reported being beaten and tortured by different militia groups stationed along the treacherous route between El Fasher and Tawila.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Released on November 4, the 10-episode series was immediately slammed by critics, clocking a flat 0% on Rotten Tomatoes.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
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Throughout the shutdown, Republicans have slammed the high cost of the subsidies, calling them a relic of the pandemic-era and no longer needed.—
Sam Gringlas,
NPR,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Even more poignant, however, is the Rosemary's Baby angle, where the innocence of childhood is drowned in blood and the notion that a young person reared in a loving environment should develop into a compassionate adult is perverted into unthinkable horror.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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The real fiends were the ones who perverted science, who attacked this misunderstood giant out of fear, who branded him as something unholy and unworthy to exist, who gave him life but didn’t give him love.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Spoelstra used Niko Jovic essentially as the backup center.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
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Scott Ford, who was walking in Ault’s group, said that the new lighting system can be used yearround and programmed for seasonal and holiday displays.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abused. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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