1
as in bullying
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 attacking
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 misusing
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 exploiting
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 abusing
The rollout of some of these technologies has been quick, and departments are beginning to confront the risks of abusing the technology and changing the way laws are enforced.
—
Noah Daly
updated June 1, Idaho Statesman, 1 June 2026
Many files included women abusing children, police say.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 29 May 2026
In a separate case, Jake entered a guilty plea to a charge of willful neglect of a child just two years ago after severely abusing his 10-week-old daughter.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Seven top staff members of the state Attorney General's Office send a letter to the agency's human resources director, accusing Paxton of accepting bribes and abusing the power of his office.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 28 May 2026
Paxton faces whistleblower allegations and impeachment trial In November 2020, the Associated Press reported that the FBI was investigating Paxton after top deputies accused the attorney general of abusing his office and engaging in bribery to benefit Austin real estate developer Nate Paul.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2026
Le Batard also landed the first interview with Doug Emhoff after reports surfaced accusing him of abusing an ex-girlfriend.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
In 2023, Paxton was also accused of abusing his office to assist in the case of Nate Paul, a real-estate developer and a donor to Paxton’s campaign who was separately charged with wire fraud and making false statements on loan applications.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 26 May 2026
Similarly, modifying diet or exercise to lose fat or gain muscle can be quite healthy, but abusing amphetamines to suppress appetite – a widespread practice in looksmaxxing – is dangerous and points to a mental health issue.
—Jordyn Tovey, The Conversation, 22 May 2026
Noah Daly
updated June 1, Idaho Statesman, 1 June 2026
Many files included women abusing children, police say.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 29 May 2026
In a separate case, Jake entered a guilty plea to a charge of willful neglect of a child just two years ago after severely abusing his 10-week-old daughter.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Seven top staff members of the state Attorney General's Office send a letter to the agency's human resources director, accusing Paxton of accepting bribes and abusing the power of his office.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 28 May 2026
Paxton faces whistleblower allegations and impeachment trial In November 2020, the Associated Press reported that the FBI was investigating Paxton after top deputies accused the attorney general of abusing his office and engaging in bribery to benefit Austin real estate developer Nate Paul.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2026
Le Batard also landed the first interview with Doug Emhoff after reports surfaced accusing him of abusing an ex-girlfriend.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
In 2023, Paxton was also accused of abusing his office to assist in the case of Nate Paul, a real-estate developer and a donor to Paxton’s campaign who was separately charged with wire fraud and making false statements on loan applications.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 26 May 2026
Similarly, modifying diet or exercise to lose fat or gain muscle can be quite healthy, but abusing amphetamines to suppress appetite – a widespread practice in looksmaxxing – is dangerous and points to a mental health issue.
—Jordyn Tovey, The Conversation, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abusing
Verb
-
The student who was injured was subjected to other instances of bullying before the assault on May 7, according to the lawsuit filed by Mollie and Boston Mallory, the plaintiff’s attorneys.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 May 2026
-
In the documentary, Steve maintained his daughter’s innocence and defended her against allegations from former classmates who accused her of bullying.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
At times, though, Gordon’s decision-making in the attacking third and in front of goal can be lacking.—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Brookline Fire says one employee suffered minor burn injuries, and a firefighter got a laceration while attacking the fire.—
Mike Sullivan,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Verb
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That is the standard set for bringing weapons and cellphones into a secure area, safeguarding department property, monitoring the radio, misusing department letterhead, badges or insignia, secondary employment violations, and recommending bondsmen or attorneys to inmates.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
The timing of the memo — roughly seven months before internal charges were filed against Newton Jones accusing him of misusing union money — places it in a critical period for the union’s leadership.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Cybersecurity companies are in the middle of a significant inflection, spurred by Anthropic's Mythos model and the rise of autonomous AI agents that are capable of exploiting vulnerabilities faster than ever before.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
-
But Ava’s flourishing is also part of Deborah’s legacy, as a boss who has (mostly) stopped exploiting her employees and started supporting them—going so far, at the end of Season 4, as to choose her writing partner over her talk show.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Bobby Atkinson, 37, is accused of threatening to kill his wife during a morning altercation at their Louisville home before allegedly torturing her dogs, Brooklyn and Seven, according to the Louisville Courier Journal, WAVE and WKRC.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
25 May 2026
-
Others believe that extraterrestrials are imparting divine wisdom, or are simply torturing us, like a child pulling the legs off an insect.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Footage of the game then showed George hobbling back to the dugout, slamming his helmet in frustration.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
Reyes is accused of intentionally slamming his SUV into the rear of the ICE agent's white pickup truck while the officer was performing official duties, according to the indictment.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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The reforms would also require some facilities to assess the feasibility of using safer technologies or processes in their work, among other changes.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
-
Zeferjahn had struggled earlier in the season, when the Angels were using him for multiple innings.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Spencer Pratt filed a formal complaint accusing his opponent, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, of violating election laws by allegedly campaigning too close to a ballot box.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
-
Two years later, the FBI raided the apartment of the company's founder, Shayne Coplan, as part of a probe into whether Polymarket was violating that agreement.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abusing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abusing. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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