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
Sherri Gordon, Parents, 15 Mar. 2026
Jason Ignacio White, a former head of Noma’s fermentation lab, collected anonymous testimonies of alleged abuse at the restaurant and posted them to his Instagram page.
—ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
Emma Rosenblum, Curbed, 12 Mar. 2026
Identifying details about crime victims — including any information that could be used to locate, intimidate, harass or abuse a victim — would be kept confidential indefinitely.
—Gabriel Velasquez Neira, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Noun
Even substance abuse is more common.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 15 Mar. 2026
Jason Ignacio White, a former head of Noma’s fermentation lab, collected anonymous testimonies of alleged abuse at the restaurant and posted them to his Instagram page.
—ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
Verb
And they were taunted by the protesters, getting abused for no reason.
—Emma Rosenblum, Curbed, 12 Mar. 2026
Identifying details about crime victims — including any information that could be used to locate, intimidate, harass or abuse a victim — would be kept confidential indefinitely.
—Gabriel Velasquez Neira, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abuse
Noun
-
Using obscene or abusive language Any use of profanity, insults or abusive language is prohibited under the FDCPA.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Please don't waste my time filling up the mailbox with big shiny cards that scream doomsday insults about your opponents.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
May Help Kids With Bullying Research published in JAMA Pediatrics based on a survey of nearly 19,000 students found clear associations between cyberbullying and anxiety, depression, and substance misuse.—
Erica Jackson Curran,
Parents,
13 Mar. 2026
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Some artists worry about misuse or losing control of their voice and likeness.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The victim involved was identified by her family as Jada West, who reportedly had been bullied since transferring to the school.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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The funny thing is, Austin fathered seven children in all, but only Dot, Betty and Helen were coerced into performing, and their father’s monomania is compared, quite alarmingly, to such bullying stage fathers as Murray Wilson (The Beach Boys) and Joe Jackson (The Jackson 5).—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On Thursday, Iran’s new Supreme Leader said that his country would keep closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane through which about a fifth of the world’s oil flows, and more vessels in the Persian Gulf were attacked, including two oil tankers that were set ablaze off the coast of Iraq.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
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Iran attacked two oil tankers off the coast of Iraq overnight, setting them ablaze.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Eco effort The usual—refillable bath products, paper straws, glass bottles—and the Sjöstrand espresso machine in rooms use organic and climate-compensated coffee capsules.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 Mar. 2026
-
His slider and changeup, used 23 total times, were unhittable, generating seven whiffs on seven swings.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Dowdle responded to criticism of his performance down the stretch on social media on Friday, seemingly taking a shot at coach Dave Canales’ offensive play-calling.—
Mike Kaye
Updated March 13,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Mar. 2026
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With the police chief taking criticism for a recent rise in shootings by officers, several proposals sought to strengthen accountability for the use of deadly force.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Trier's film deals with memory, both actual and transformed through art into something representing memory, as Gustav (Skarsgård) seeks to make a film inspired by the life of his mother, who was tortured by the Nazis and later committed suicide.—
David Morgan,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
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Within hours, Ruis had beaten and tortured Yates to death.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Phillips then allegedly rushed the officer, wrapped his arms around him and lifted him off the ground before slamming him onto the pavement, leaving the officer with a concussion and a head laceration.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
18 Mar. 2026
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Jezero is the crash site of an asteroid that slammed into Mars’s surface almost four billion years ago.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuse. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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