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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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of abuse
Sterling Elliott, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Rodríguez made her announcement before some of the officials whom former prisoners and human rights watchdogs have accused of ordering the abuses committed at Helicoide and other detention facilities.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Kenji Yoshino, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
This policy does not open the door to abuse.
—Jeffrey Prang, Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Noun
The budgeting process needs to fund federal and state programs to treat substance abuse.
—Sterling Elliott, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Rodríguez made her announcement before some of the officials whom former prisoners and human rights watchdogs have accused of ordering the abuses committed at Helicoide and other detention facilities.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Verb
First, the concept of merit leaves a lot of discretion, so the dominant group that defines merit will abuse that discretion to favor itself.
—Kenji Yoshino, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
This policy does not open the door to abuse.
—Jeffrey Prang, Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abuse
Noun
-
Apparently, my father approached the people hurling the insults and asked them to stop.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The president also called Walz and Frey himself Monday after weeks of hurling insults and accusing the Democratic officials of inciting resistance to the crackdown.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Haphazardly propped on the ground with wiring and hardware exposed, the flags appear as symbols debased and emptied after centuries of misuse.—
Rachel Wetzler,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The messages—widely condemned as vulgar, misogynistic, racist, and homophobic—also revealed discussions about manipulating media coverage, targeting political opponents, and casual references to the misuse of public funds.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Movies like Mean Girls, Wonder, and The Karate Kid offer powerful ways to help kids recognize bullying and build empathy.—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Wilkerson treated him like a traffic cone, blowing by and bullying him for baskets.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In severe cases, the virus can attack parts of the brain that control basic life functions like eye movement, heart rate and blood pressure, causing permanent damage.—
Michal Ruprecht,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Ukraine's air force said that Russia attacked overnight with one ballistic missile and 146 strike drones, 103 of which were shot down or destroyed using electronic warfare.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Now, the question of whether the US could again use force – or tactics like tariffs or sanctions – to strong-arm countries into choosing Washington’s interests over ties with China is a viable risk being evaluated in the region’s capitals.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Those who bought the checks would then attempt to fraudulently cash them, according to federal prosecutors, using a variety of methods.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, Walz abandoned his campaign for a third term this month amid criticism over mismanagement of taxpayer funding for child care programs.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Continue reading … ‘NEVER AGAIN’ – Tim Walz to end political career amid fraud scandal and party criticism.—
,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And so even people who were heroes of the nation, they were beaten, tortured, taken for reeducation.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
-
In 1980, the shah admitted to mistakes, including acknowledging that his regime had tortured Iranians.—
Eric Lob,
The Conversation,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
On June 7, 2024, the Wisconsin driver of a Ford 150 slammed into it at 78 miles per hour.—
Megan De Mar,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Police previously confirmed that the two teenage girls had been riding on a sled being pulled by a 16-year-old male in a Jeep Wrangler when the sled struck a curb and slammed into a tree.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuse. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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