1
as in insults
harsh insulting language
hometown fans hurled abuse at the visiting team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in misuses
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 bullies
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 attacks
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 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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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 abuses
Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
The conference’s primary sponsor was the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which the watchdog group Human Rights Watch has accused of benefitting from human rights abuses.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 5 Nov. 2025
Pritzker has established a commission to catalogue potential abuses.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Continental and regional bodies, including the African Union, have been criticized for failing to address human rights abuses in Tanzania ahead of the election.
—Martin K.n Siele, semafor.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Indonesia invaded Timor-Leste just a week after Portugal withdrew, leading to almost a quarter-century of occupation marked by severe human rights abuses.
—Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025
While the world gushes over Africa’s natural resources, trouble brews with utilizing them—pollution, corruption, human rights abuses, criminal infiltration.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
This story was originally published by ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power.
—Audrey Dutton, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Bowles abuses those pass-blocking rules by stunting the three-technique, Logan Hall (90), across the left guard's face, knowing the guard will follow him.
—Derrik Klassen, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
But outside of the ring, Christy hides and represses her lesbianism and winds up marrying her trainer Jim Martin (Ben Foster), who manipulates and physically abuses her.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
Yet even among a number of Christians seeking to raise awareness and intensify efforts to put an end to systematic abuses committed by Boko Haram and other jihadi movements, the prospect of foreign intervention raises serious concerns.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
The conference’s primary sponsor was the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which the watchdog group Human Rights Watch has accused of benefitting from human rights abuses.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 5 Nov. 2025
Pritzker has established a commission to catalogue potential abuses.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Continental and regional bodies, including the African Union, have been criticized for failing to address human rights abuses in Tanzania ahead of the election.
—Martin K.n Siele, semafor.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Indonesia invaded Timor-Leste just a week after Portugal withdrew, leading to almost a quarter-century of occupation marked by severe human rights abuses.
—Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025
While the world gushes over Africa’s natural resources, trouble brews with utilizing them—pollution, corruption, human rights abuses, criminal infiltration.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
This story was originally published by ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power.
—Audrey Dutton, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
In the film, Victor emotionally abuses the Creature.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Bowles abuses those pass-blocking rules by stunting the three-technique, Logan Hall (90), across the left guard's face, knowing the guard will follow him.
—Derrik Klassen, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
But outside of the ring, Christy hides and represses her lesbianism and winds up marrying her trainer Jim Martin (Ben Foster), who manipulates and physically abuses her.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abuses
Noun
-
Men sneered contemptuously at them, while teenagers used their names as insults.—
Mikhail Zygar,
Vanity Fair,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The Marty Supreme scene in question sees Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary (in his first screen acting role), who plays businessman Milton Rockwell, physically punish Chalamet's Marty for several insults Marty deals Milton throughout the movie.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Cipher bullies other characters across the season about their powers, but because of Andre and Polarity’s degenerative abilities, this underscores the eugenics behind his beliefs.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Berkley’s dies by suicide by jumping off a balcony outside their office window; Simpson’s goes crazy and attacks her ex with sulfuric acid.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
4 Nov. 2025
-
For this new study in particular, the researchers focused on the 5FU, which often both fails to reach cancer cells efficiently and attacks healthy tissue—causing side effects like nausea, fatigue and, in rare cases, even heart failure.—
Hannah Millington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
All the while, Tony Award winning director David Cromer (The Band’s Visit) exploits audience suspicion.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
-
And nobody exploits a flaw quite like a cornered Shanahan.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Chinese retailer, known for its range of cheap ultra-fast-fashion clothing and criticisms of its labor and environmental practices, is nestled on the sixth floor of a more than century-old building in Paris, a city famous for high-end fashion and a recent green push.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
-
But challenges and criticisms remain, including a recent mass shooting at a homeless encampment, state and federal consent decrees and questions about police’s interaction with federal immigration enforcement.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Later, in one of the movie's most satisfying scenes, Millie locks Andrew in the attic and tortures him by loudly smashing each plate.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Dec. 2025
-
The mistake tortures them, which prompts the couple to try and solve the mystery by producing a fake play in an attempt to get their ex-neighbor Mary (Chloe Cherry) to audition.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But dropping the gloves can feel like an exasperating last act born of desperation and hopelessness - a door that slams behind you, leaves you in the dark and seldom reopens.—
Aaron Davis,
Sacbee.com,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Trump slams Mamdani after primary win Mamdani’s primary victory shocked the political establishment and excited progressives.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Unlike bipedal humanoids, the Onero H1 uses a wheeled base paired with articulated arms, prioritizing stability and dexterity over walking.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Utah is the first state to more formally test how well AI can assess medical situations through a partnership with health-tech startup Doctronic that uses AI to prescribe refills for patients with chronic conditions, Politico reported.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuses. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share