abuse

1 of 2

noun

ə-ˈbyüs

: a corrupt practice or custom

the buying of votes and other election abuses

: improper or excessive use or treatment : misuse

drug abuse

: language that condemns or vilifies usually unjustly, intemperately, and angrily

verbal abuse

a term of abuse

: physical maltreatment

child abuse

sexual abuse

obsolete : a deceitful act : deception

abuse

2 of 2

verb

ə-ˈbyüz

abused; abusing

transitive verb

: to put to a wrong or improper use

abuse a privilege

: to use excessively

abuse alcohol

also : to use without medical justification

abusing painkillers

: to use or treat so as to injure or damage : maltreat

abused his wife

: to attack in words : revile

verbally abused the referee

obsolete : deceive

abusable

ə-ˈbyü-zə-bəl How to pronounce abuse (audio)

adjective

abuser noun

Example Sentences

Noun He subjected his wife to physical and emotional abuse. the buying of votes and other election abuses She was subjected to every term of abuse her boss could think of. a torrent of verbal abuse The prisoner hurled abuse at the judge. Verb He was accused of sexually abusing a child. He abused his body with years of heavy drinking. He had abused his first car by not taking care of it. She abused her friend's trust. a senator who abuses his power He abused my confidence by letting this secret be known. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The youth was found, but due to the allegations of abuse, police began an investigation.

cleveland, 8 Sep. 2022 At least a dozen women reported allegations of abuse at the ranch to the Park County Sheriff’s Office in 2019.

Tyler Kingkade, NBC News, 7 Sep. 2022 Lily-Rose came to her father's defense in 2016 after Heard first accused the actor of abuse.

Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 7 Sep. 2022 Did Gabby Petito police footage reveal subtle signs of abuse, gaslighting from Laundrie?

Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 2 Sep. 2022 Paige Lorenze, Hammer's ex-girlfriend, who also publicly accused him of abuse last year, is also featured via archived clip.

Jessica Wang, EW.com, 2 Sep. 2022 Ryan Reiter, appointed Friday to the Broward School by Gov. Ron DeSantis, was accused by a former fiancee of abuse in a court filing five years ago.

Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2022 Buchanan praised the victim’s bravery in reporting Wisener’s crimes after suffering years of abuse.

Henri Hollis, ajc, 29 Aug. 2022 Criminal charges and details recorded in a civil lawsuit suggest a pattern of abuse by a teacher and years of negligence on behalf of those meant to monitor his behavior and protect students.

Taylor Hartz, Hartford Courant, 29 Aug. 2022

Verb

In the Monday press conference, Sun tried to reassure the public that Hong Kong authorities would not abuse their power and would responsibly handle people’s data.

Grady Mcgregor, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2022 Some worried that individuals with malicious intentions might abuse the feature.

Chris Smith, BGR, 28 July 2022 Maxwell, who once consorted with royals, presidents and billionaires as the daughter of a British publishing magnate, was convicted of luring teenage girls for Epstein to abuse.

Michael R. Sisak And Micheal Balsamo, USA TODAY, 26 July 2022 Prosecutors accused the British socialite of recruiting and grooming girls as young as 14 for Epstein to abuse.

Rich Schapiro, NBC News, 17 June 2022 The deal also calls for commitments to abuse victims that include youth protection measures, a reporting system and the formation of a Child Protection Committee.

Washington Post, 2 July 2021 Because of the inclination by some humans to exploit or abuse the snakes, the specifics of the locations are not disclosed to the public.

Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2022 Educational campaigns have dispelled common false claims, including that spiteful ex-spouses can easily abuse the system to permanently disarm former partners.

Kimberly Kindy, Washington Post, 18 July 2022 Carliss Chatman, an associate law professor at Washington and Lee University in Virginia, said certain civil remedies can also be a mechanism for men to continue to abuse their former partners through the court system.

Nicole Santa Cruz, ProPublica, 19 July 2022 See More

Kids Definition

abuse 1 of 2

noun

ə-ˈbyüs

: wrong or unfair treatment or use

abuse of power

: the act or practice of improperly using or of using in harmful amounts

drug abuse

: harmful treatment of a person or an animal

: harsh insulting language

"Never a kind word for old Templeton, only abuse and wisecracks …"

E. B. White, Charlotte's Web

: a dishonest practice

election abuses

abuse

2 of 2

verb

ə-ˈbyüz

abused; abusing

: to treat in a cruel or harmful way

abuse an animal

: to use wrongly : misuse

abuse privileges

: to use improperly or in harmful amounts

abuse drugs

: to blame or scold rudely

Medical Definition

abuse 1 of 2

noun

ə-ˈbyüs

: improper or excessive use or treatment

drug abuse

long-term abuse of tranquilizers

: physical maltreatment: as

: the act of violating sexually : rape

under some statutes : rape or indecent assault not amounting to rape

abuse

2 of 2

transitive verb

ə-ˈbyüz

abused; abusing

: to use excessively

abuse alcohol

also : to use without medical justification

abusing painkillers

: to treat so as to injure or damage

abuse a child

: masturbate

: to subject to abuse and especially to rape or indecent assault

Legal Definition

abuse 1 of 2

transitive verb

ə-ˈbyüz

abused; abusing

: to put to a use other than the one intended: as

: to put to a bad or unfair use

abusing the powers of office

: to put to improper or excessive use

abuse narcotics

: to inflict physical or emotional mistreatment or injury on (as one's child) purposely or through negligence or neglect and often on a regular basis

: to engage in sexual activity with (a child under an age specified by statute)

: to attack harshly with words

abuse a police officer

abuse a debtor

abuse

2 of 2

noun

ə-ˈbyüs

: improper, unfair, or excessive use

abuse of authority

drug abuse

: the infliction of physical or emotional injury

also : the crime of inflicting such injury see also battered child syndrome, battered woman's syndrome compare cruelty, neglect

: sexual abuse

: a verbal attack (as on a police officer in the performance of his or her duty)

also : the crime of making such an attack

abuse 1 of 2

noun

as in insult

harsh insulting language hometown fans hurled abuse at the visiting team

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

insult
criticism
vituperation
scurrility
invective
billingsgate
fulmination
vitriol
curse
blackguardism
blasphemy
obloquy
disparagement
slur
profanity
reprimand
vilification
revilement
belittlement
epithet
malediction
rebuke
imprecation
tirade
excoriation
expletive
castigation
chastisement
polemic
opprobrium
aspersion
swearword
reproof
bad-mouthing
harangue
diatribe
execration
put-down
broadside

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

praise
applause
acclaim
compliments
commendation
flattery
endearments
adulation
congratulations
felicitations
soft soap
overpraise
blarney

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

misuse
misusage
misapplication
perversion
mismanagement
mistreatment
maltreatment
destruction
wrecking
mishandling
misemployment
misutilization
corruption
spoiling
ill-treatment
desecration
prostitution
damage
mismanaging
debasement
ill-usage
profanation
ruin

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

use
employment
application
utilization

abuse

2 of 2

verb

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

bully
torture
misuse
mistreat
oppress
violate
hurt
injure
maltreat
persecute
brutalize
ill-use
manhandle
torment
take apart
mishandle
mess over
harm
harass
outrage
ill-treat
molest
kick around
victimize
wrong
sandbag
burn
work (over)
beat (up)
rough (up)
mess (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

foster
care (for)
nurture
cherish
baby
spoil
cater (to)
indulge
gratify
favor
humor
coddle
pamper
mollycoddle

as in to attack

to criticize harshly and usually publicly a demanding, difficult patient who constantly abuses the nurses and aides

Synonyms & Similar Words

attack
insult
scold
savage
slam
blast
harass
criticize
vituperate
trash
curse
scathe
tie into
excoriate
potshot
assail
bash
light into
sail into
affront
revile
slander
reprimand
beat up on
harry
harangue
lambaste
castigate
berate
slur
lambast
belabor
jump (on)
libel
blaspheme
disparage
profane
whip
vilify
blackguard
asperse
execrate
rebuke
belittle
imprecate
chastise
chide
put down
fulminate
bad-mouth
traduce
lash (out)
lace (into)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

praise
commend
compliment
hail
laud
acclaim

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

misuse
pervert
prostitute
corrupt
profane
misapply
degrade
misemploy
twist
desecrate
mismanage
debase

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

use
apply
employ
utilize
respect

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

use
exploit
leverage
manipulate
pimp
trade on
walk on
milk
mistreat
cheat
work
cash in (on)
play (on or upon)
impose (on or upon)
jerk around
capitalize (on)
overcharge
skin
fleece
bleed
commodify
soak
stick
commercialize

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of abuse are billingsgate, invective, obloquy, and vituperation. While all these words mean "vehemently expressed condemnation or disapproval," abuse, the most general term, usually implies the anger of the speaker and stresses the harshness of the language.

scathing verbal abuse

While in some cases nearly identical to abuse, billingsgate implies practiced fluency and variety of profane or obscene abuse.

directed a stream of billingsgate at the cabdriver

In some situations, the words invective and abuse are roughly equivalent. However, invective implies a comparable vehemence but suggests greater verbal and rhetorical skill and may apply to a public denunciation.

blistering political invective

While the synonyms obloquy and abuse are close in meaning, obloquy suggests defamation and consequent shame and disgrace.

subjected to obloquy and derision

The words vituperation and abuse can be used in similar contexts, but vituperation implies fluent and sustained abuse.

a torrent of vituperation

单词	abuse
释义	abuse 1 of 2 noun ə-ˈbyüs 1 : a corrupt practice or custom the buying of votes and other election abuses 2 : improper or excessive use or treatment : misuse drug abuse 3 : language that condemns or vilifies usually unjustly, intemperately, and angrily verbal abuse a term of abuse 4 : physical maltreatment child abuse sexual abuse 5 obsolete : a deceitful act : deception abuse 2 of 2 verb ə-ˈbyüz abused; abusing transitive verb 1 a : to put to a wrong or improper use abuse a privilege b : to use excessively abuse alcohol also : to use without medical justification abusing painkillers 2 : to use or treat so as to injure or damage : maltreat abused his wife 3 : to attack in words : revile verbally abused the referee 4 obsolete : deceive abusable ə-ˈbyü-zə-bəl adjective abuser noun Synonyms Noun billingsgate fulmination invective obloquy scurrility vitriol vituperation Verb brutalize bully ill-treat ill-use kick around maltreat manhandle mess over [slang] mishandle mistreat misuse See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Noun He subjected his wife to physical and emotional abuse. the buying of votes and other election abuses She was subjected to every term of abuse her boss could think of. a torrent of verbal abuse The prisoner hurled abuse at the judge. Verb He was accused of sexually abusing a child. He abused his body with years of heavy drinking. He had abused his first car by not taking care of it. She abused her friend's trust. a senator who abuses his power He abused my confidence by letting this secret be known. See More Recent Examples on the Web Noun The youth was found, but due to the allegations of abuse, police began an investigation. cleveland, 8 Sep. 2022 At least a dozen women reported allegations of abuse at the ranch to the Park County Sheriff’s Office in 2019. Tyler Kingkade, NBC News, 7 Sep. 2022 Lily-Rose came to her father's defense in 2016 after Heard first accused the actor of abuse. Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 7 Sep. 2022 Did Gabby Petito police footage reveal subtle signs of abuse, gaslighting from Laundrie? Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 2 Sep. 2022 Paige Lorenze, Hammer's ex-girlfriend, who also publicly accused him of abuse last year, is also featured via archived clip. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 2 Sep. 2022 Ryan Reiter, appointed Friday to the Broward School by Gov. Ron DeSantis, was accused by a former fiancee of abuse in a court filing five years ago. Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2022 Buchanan praised the victim’s bravery in reporting Wisener’s crimes after suffering years of abuse. Henri Hollis, ajc, 29 Aug. 2022 Criminal charges and details recorded in a civil lawsuit suggest a pattern of abuse by a teacher and years of negligence on behalf of those meant to monitor his behavior and protect students. Taylor Hartz, Hartford Courant, 29 Aug. 2022 Verb In the Monday press conference, Sun tried to reassure the public that Hong Kong authorities would not abuse their power and would responsibly handle people’s data. Grady Mcgregor, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2022 Some worried that individuals with malicious intentions might abuse the feature. Chris Smith, BGR, 28 July 2022 Maxwell, who once consorted with royals, presidents and billionaires as the daughter of a British publishing magnate, was convicted of luring teenage girls for Epstein to abuse. Michael R. Sisak And Micheal Balsamo, USA TODAY, 26 July 2022 Prosecutors accused the British socialite of recruiting and grooming girls as young as 14 for Epstein to abuse. Rich Schapiro, NBC News, 17 June 2022 The deal also calls for commitments to abuse victims that include youth protection measures, a reporting system and the formation of a Child Protection Committee. Washington Post, 2 July 2021 Because of the inclination by some humans to exploit or abuse the snakes, the specifics of the locations are not disclosed to the public. Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2022 Educational campaigns have dispelled common false claims, including that spiteful ex-spouses can easily abuse the system to permanently disarm former partners. Kimberly Kindy, Washington Post, 18 July 2022 Carliss Chatman, an associate law professor at Washington and Lee University in Virginia, said certain civil remedies can also be a mechanism for men to continue to abuse their former partners through the court system. Nicole Santa Cruz, ProPublica, 19 July 2022 See More Word History Etymology Noun Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin abūsus "misuse, waste," noun derivative from abūtī "to exhaust, use up, misuse," from ab- ab- + ūtī "to use entry 1" Verb Middle English abusen, borrowed from Anglo-French abuser, verbal derivative of abuse abuse entry 1 First Known Use Noun 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Verb 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Phrases Containing abuse human rights abuse ripe for abuse verbal abuse self-abuse human rights abuse ripe for abuse verbal abuse self-abuse Kids Definition abuse 1 of 2 noun ə-ˈbyüs 1 : wrong or unfair treatment or use abuse of power 2 : the act or practice of improperly using or of using in harmful amounts drug abuse 3 : harmful treatment of a person or an animal 4 : harsh insulting language "Never a kind word for old Templeton, only abuse and wisecracks …" E. B. White, Charlotte's Web 5 : a dishonest practice election abuses abuse 2 of 2 verb ə-ˈbyüz abused; abusing 1 : to treat in a cruel or harmful way abuse an animal 2 : to use wrongly : misuse abuse privileges 3 : to use improperly or in harmful amounts abuse drugs 4 : to blame or scold rudely Medical Definition abuse 1 of 2 noun ə-ˈbyüs 1 : improper or excessive use or treatment drug abuse long-term abuse of tranquilizers 2 : physical maltreatment: as a : the act of violating sexually : rape b under some statutes : rape or indecent assault not amounting to rape abuse 2 of 2 transitive verb ə-ˈbyüz abused; abusing 1 : to use excessively abuse alcohol also : to use without medical justification abusing painkillers 2 : to treat so as to injure or damage abuse a child 3 a : masturbate b : to subject to abuse and especially to rape or indecent assault Legal Definition abuse 1 of 2 transitive verb ə-ˈbyüz abused; abusing 1 : to put to a use other than the one intended: as a : to put to a bad or unfair use abusing the powers of office b : to put to improper or excessive use abuse narcotics 2 a : to inflict physical or emotional mistreatment or injury on (as one's child) purposely or through negligence or neglect and often on a regular basis b : to engage in sexual activity with (a child under an age specified by statute) 3 : to attack harshly with words abuse a police officer abuse a debtor abuse 2 of 2 noun ə-ˈbyüs 1 : improper, unfair, or excessive use abuse of authority drug abuse 2 a : the infliction of physical or emotional injury also : the crime of inflicting such injury see also battered child syndrome, battered woman's syndrome compare cruelty, neglect b : sexual abuse 3 : a verbal attack (as on a police officer in the performance of his or her duty) also : the crime of making such an attack abuse 1 of 2 noun 1 as in insult harsh insulting language hometown fans hurled abuse at the visiting team Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance insult criticism vituperation scurrility invective billingsgate fulmination vitriol curse blackguardism blasphemy obloquy disparagement slur profanity reprimand vilification revilement belittlement epithet malediction rebuke imprecation tirade excoriation expletive castigation chastisement polemic opprobrium aspersion swearword reproof bad-mouthing harangue diatribe execration put-down broadside Antonyms & Near Antonyms praise applause acclaim compliments commendation flattery endearments adulation congratulations felicitations soft soap overpraise blarney See More 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 misuse misusage misapplication perversion mismanagement mistreatment maltreatment destruction wrecking mishandling misemployment misutilization corruption spoiling ill-treatment desecration prostitution damage mismanaging debasement ill-usage profanation ruin Antonyms & Near Antonyms use employment application utilization abuse 2 of 2 verb 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 bully torture misuse mistreat oppress violate hurt injure maltreat persecute brutalize ill-use manhandle torment take apart mishandle mess over harm harass outrage ill-treat molest kick around victimize wrong sandbag burn work (over) beat (up) rough (up) mess (up) Antonyms & Near Antonyms foster care (for) nurture cherish baby spoil cater (to) indulge gratify favor humor coddle pamper mollycoddle See More 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 attack insult scold savage slam blast harass criticize vituperate trash curse scathe tie into excoriate potshot assail bash light into sail into affront revile slander reprimand beat up on harry harangue lambaste castigate berate slur lambast belabor jump (on) libel blaspheme disparage profane whip vilify blackguard asperse execrate rebuke belittle imprecate chastise chide put down fulminate bad-mouth traduce lash (out) lace (into) Antonyms & Near Antonyms praise commend compliment hail laud acclaim 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 misuse pervert prostitute corrupt profane misapply degrade misemploy twist desecrate mismanage debase Antonyms & Near Antonyms use apply employ utilize respect 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 use exploit leverage manipulate pimp trade on walk on milk mistreat cheat work cash in (on) play (on or upon) impose (on or upon) jerk around capitalize (on) overcharge skin fleece bleed commodify soak stick commercialize Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of abuse are billingsgate, invective, obloquy, and vituperation. While all these words mean "vehemently expressed condemnation or disapproval," abuse, the most general term, usually implies the anger of the speaker and stresses the harshness of the language. scathing verbal abuse While in some cases nearly identical to abuse, billingsgate implies practiced fluency and variety of profane or obscene abuse. directed a stream of billingsgate at the cabdriver In some situations, the words invective and abuse are roughly equivalent. However, invective implies a comparable vehemence but suggests greater verbal and rhetorical skill and may apply to a public denunciation. blistering political invective While the synonyms obloquy and abuse are close in meaning, obloquy suggests defamation and consequent shame and disgrace. subjected to obloquy and derision The words vituperation and abuse can be used in similar contexts, but vituperation implies fluent and sustained abuse. a torrent of vituperation
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abuse

noun

verb

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing abuse

Kids Definition

noun

verb

Medical Definition

noun

transitive verb

Legal Definition

transitive verb

noun

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser