1
as in insult
harsh insulting language
hometown fans hurled abuse at the visiting team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in misuse
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 to bully
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 to attack
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 to misuse
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 to use
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 abuse
Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 23 May 2025
Dawn Hughes says substances can 'numb' abuse after Cassie 'freak offs' testimony
Victims of abuse using substances while facing violence is one common coping mechanism, Hughes told the court on May 21.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 May 2025
Matt Burgess, Wired News, 22 May 2025
Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for the Cuomo campaign, denied any wrongdoing and accused the Justice Department of abusing its power to interfere in an election.
—Nicholas Fandos, New York Times, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Noun
House Republicans maintain the bill only targets waste, fraud and abuse, but the requirements passed by the House could cause more than 7 million people to become uninsured over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
—Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 23 May 2025
Dawn Hughes says substances can 'numb' abuse after Cassie 'freak offs' testimony
Victims of abuse using substances while facing violence is one common coping mechanism, Hughes told the court on May 21.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 May 2025
Verb
As with any exposed database, the concern is that sensitive data could be stolen and abused.
—Matt Burgess, Wired News, 22 May 2025
Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for the Cuomo campaign, denied any wrongdoing and accused the Justice Department of abusing its power to interfere in an election.
—Nicholas Fandos, New York Times, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abuse
Noun
-
They were quickly showered with boos and insults, along with various food items and beverages, including my mother’s large Pepsi.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
17 May 2025
-
Students understood the insult – and its historical sting.—
Simon Montlake,
Christian Science Monitor,
16 May 2025
Noun
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Business Taken together, the changes reflect a new emphasis at Meta in favor of more unrestrained speech and more rapidly updating its apps — a dismantling of various guardrails the company has enacted over the years to curb the misuse of its platforms.—
Shannon Bond,
NPR,
31 May 2025
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Use large language models to analyze claims data and surface patterns in misuse, delays or preventable escalations.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Verb
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His rustiness was evident, as he was bullied off the ball often and punished for an uncharacteristically poor first touch at the Emirates Stadium.—
Harry De Cosemo,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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But he’s bullied at that school, and even at home, things rarely go his way.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
20 May 2025
Verb
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According to authorities, Ward told them the fight and stabbing were self-defense, claiming the mother attacked and punched her several times in the face.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
23 May 2025
-
There are several leaf spotting diseases that can attack hydrangeas.—
Janet B. Carson,
Arkansas Online,
23 May 2025
Verb
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The initiative draws water from the L.A. River in downtown L.A., cleans it and uses it to irrigate Los Angeles State Historic Park.—
Lucy Handley,
CNBC,
1 June 2025
-
Administration officials initially weighed using Section 122 to impose higher tariffs but decided not to, due to the 150-day limit.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
31 May 2025
Noun
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Also rejected was a proposal soliciting a report on warehouse working conditions, a perennial source of criticism of the company.—
Greg Bensinger,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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The previous reports that the Department of Justice was investigating UnitedHealth for Medicare fraud brought criticism of the company, with its stock falling by 17% last Thursday.—
Morgan Kromer,
The Washington Examiner,
21 May 2025
Verb
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Investigators say the group allegedly lured the former business partner back from Italy to access his cryptocurrency account and then kidnapped and tortured him for weeks.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 May 2025
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According to the report, dissidents —including soldiers, opposition activists, human rights defenders, journalists and ordinary citizens— are being arbitrarily detained, forcibly disappeared, tortured, and subjected to sham trials.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2025
Verb
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Five months after beating New York Red Bulls for the club’s sixth MLS Cup title, the Galaxy lost the rematch 7-0 in New York — seven-nil — prompting an impromptu team scolding on the field by Vanney after the final whistle.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 May 2025
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The moment a golden retriever and his feline friend were scolded by their owner for their behavior during her trip has left people in stitches.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuse. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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