Synonyms of abusing

abusing

verb

present participle of abuse

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

• bullying
• torturing
• violating
• mistreating
• misusing
• oppressing
• injuring
• brutalizing
• hurting
• persecuting
• manhandling
• maltreating
• harassing
• ill-treating
• mishandling
• taking apart
• molesting
• tormenting
• harming
• ill-using
• messing over
• outraging
• kicking around
• victimizing
• wronging
• working (over)
• sandbagging
• burning
• beating (up)
• roughing (up)
• messing (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fostering
• nurturing
• caring (for)
• cherishing
• favoring
• indulging
• spoiling
• gratifying
• coddling
• humoring
• catering (to)
• pampering
• babying
• mollycoddling

2

as in attacking

to criticize harshly and usually publicly

a demanding, difficult patient who constantly abuses the nurses and aides

Synonyms & Similar Words

• attacking
• slamming
• scolding
• criticizing
• insulting
• blasting
• assailing
• savaging
• harassing
• cursing
• excoriating
• bashing
• trashing
• jumping (on)
• castigating
• scathing
• lambasting
• tying into
• vituperating
• berating
• sailing into
• belaboring
• reviling
• reprimanding
• blaspheming
• potshotting
• haranguing
• belittling
• disparaging
• slandering
• affronting
• harrying
• whipping
• beating up on
• execrating
• lighting into
• profaning
• vilifying
• libeling
• slurring
• chiding
• chastising
• imprecating
• rebuking
• traducing
• bad-mouthing
• fulminating
• aspersing
• blackguarding
• lacing (into)
• lashing (out)
• putting down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• praising
• commending
• complimenting
• hailing
• lauding
• acclaiming

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

• misusing
• perverting
• misapplying
• prostituting
• profaning
• degrading
• corrupting
• twisting
• misemploying
• mismanaging
• desecrating
• debasing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• using
• applying
• employing
• utilizing
• respecting

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

• exploiting
• using
• manipulating
• leveraging
• milking
• playing (on or upon)
• imposing (on or upon)
• pimping
• cheating
• walking on
• capitalizing (on)
• trading on
• mistreating
• working
• cashing in (on)
• overcharging
• bleeding
• sticking
• fleecing
• soaking
• commercializing
• skinning
• jerking around
• commodifying

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of abusing

Turay’s glassy guitar licks have a Metheny-ish tint to them, while Bemis opts to ride quick, slinky rhythms rather than abusing his crash cymbal. — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026

DeKalb deputy adds to concerning trend in Georgia The arrest of the DeKalb deputy adds to a growing list of law enforcement officials who have been caught abusing the license plate data they have been given access to and tasked with protecting. — Irene Wright, USA Today, 21 July 2026

Odysseus and his men greedily devour a lavish meal prepared for them, only to discover their host is the witch Circe (played by Samantha Morton), who transforms the gluttonous sailors into pigs for abusing her hospitality. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 19 July 2026

But this marks the first time someone inside the White House has been investigated for allegedly abusing that access for prediction market profits. — Bobby Allyn, NPR, 16 July 2026

Pitt has been accused of allegedly abusing Jolie and their children. — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2026

Four people represented by the ACLU of Tennessee filed a lawsuit in May accusing the task force of abusing the law to block them from documenting officers’ actions, sometimes ordering them to stay more than 100 feet away from arrest scenes. — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 10 July 2026

Two Miami-Dade church camp counselors were arrested Wednesday for allegedly abusing a 9-year-old boy by placing large orange cones over his head and repeatedly hitting him, according to the sheriff’s office. — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026

Later that day, Collin alleged on his Instagram Stories that his mom wrote about physically abusing him in her diary. — Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026