abusive

adjective

abu·​sive ə-ˈbyü-siv 

 also  -ziv

1

a

: using harsh, insulting language

an angry and abusive crowd

b

: harsh and insulting

abusive language

c

: using or involving physical violence or emotional cruelty

abusive behavior

an abusive husband

an abusive relationship

2

: characterized by wrong or improper use or action

especially : corrupt

abusive financial practices

abusively adverb

abusiveness noun

Synonyms

• contumelious
• invective
• opprobrious
• scurrile
• scurril
• scurrilous
• truculent
• vitriolic
• vituperative
• vituperatory

Examples of abusive in a Sentence

The fans yelled abusive comments to the referee.

protecting wives from abusive husbands

Recent Examples on the Web

Rolling Stone also previously uncovered a pattern of abusive behavior dating back to Combs’ time at Howard University. —Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 5 May 2025

As fans saw in the first movie, Faith and Hope rebelliously set their house on fire to kill their abusive father and run away. —Caroline Blair, People.com, 3 May 2025

Turns out, once upon a time, the girls burned down a wing of their mansion with their abusive father trapped inside and disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. —Sezin Devi Koehler, EW.com, 1 May 2025

His restlessness, his distaste for corrupt and abusive authorities, and his knack for provoking rival journalists had eventually made Virginia City too hot to hold him. —Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Anglo-French abusif "misplaced, wrong, in error," borrowed from Late Latin abūsīvus "misused, catachrestic," from Latin abūsus, past participle of abūtī "to abuse entry 2" + -īvus -ive

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for abusive

• allusive
• collusive
• conclusive
• conducive
• delusive
• diffusive
• elusive
• exclusive
• extrusive
• illusive
• inclusive
• intrusive

Kids Definition

abusive

adjective

abu·​sive ə-ˈbyü-siv 

-ziv

: using or characterized by abuse

abusively adverb

abusiveness noun

Legal Definition

abusive

adjective

abu·​sive ə-ˈbyü-siv, -ziv 

1

: characterized by wrong or improper use or action

abusive tax shelters

2

: inflicting verbal or physical abuse

abusive parents

abusively adverb