Definition of ill-usenext

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-use
Verb
  • Maxwell’s father, Robert, was a newspaper mogul with a mean streak who, Maxwell has said, physically abused her as a kid.
    Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
  • Hemani's lawyers also reject the government's attempt to liken laws disarming habitual drunkards to the law disarming drug users, arguing that those early restrictions covered only people who regularly abused alcohol, not all those who drink.
    Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • There was a natural legacy to build on in Detroit—not only the Bad Boys of the nineteen-eighties and early nineties but also the bullying team that won the title in 2004.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Weinstein and his lawyers argued that the retrial verdict was tainted by infighting and bullying among jurors.
    CBS News, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ill-use.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-use. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster