1
as in insults
harsh insulting language
hometown fans hurled abuse at the visiting team
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2
as in misuses
incorrect or improper use
naturally the furniture had received a lot of abuse from the 10 kids in the family
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1
as in bullies
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
if you abuse your pet, he will always have an ugly disposition
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2
as in attacks
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
a demanding, difficult patient who constantly abuses the nurses and aides
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3
as in perverts
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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4
as in exploits
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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Cite this Entry
“Abuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuses. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on abuses
Nglish: Translation of abuses for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of abuses for Arabic Speakers
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