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
Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 25 July 2025
Martha Lucia Zapata-Echeverri, 51, of Spain, was arrested for child abuse on Monday, July 21, at Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Bay Lake, Fla., by the Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO), per an arrest affidavit PEOPLE obtained.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 24 July 2025
Arkansas Online, 20 July 2025
Maxwell, his longtime confidant, was convicted in 2021 of acting as a recruiter of young girls who would later be abused by Epstein.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Noun
Victoria Caldwell and Stubblefield pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse, and Burton and Caldwell entered Alford pleas to abuse of a corpse and second-degree manslaughter — while Burton also pleaded as such to tampering with evidence.
—Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 25 July 2025
Martha Lucia Zapata-Echeverri, 51, of Spain, was arrested for child abuse on Monday, July 21, at Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Bay Lake, Fla., by the Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO), per an arrest affidavit PEOPLE obtained.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 24 July 2025
Verb
In May, state prosecutors indicted Yoon on charges of abusing power and forcing soldiers and police officers to try to seal the assembly and election offices, acts that are not part of their duties.
—Arkansas Online, 20 July 2025
Maxwell, his longtime confidant, was convicted in 2021 of acting as a recruiter of young girls who would later be abused by Epstein.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for abuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abuse
Noun
-
To say that a two-hour daily commute both ways from Fredericksburg, Va., to Towson will not have any impact on her performance is arrogant on its face and an insult to those (voters) who have to hear it.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Dimon and Trump have scuffled over multiple topics over the years, and the insults have been personal.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
31 July 2025
Noun
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She has also been hounded by allegations of misuse of more than $10 million in public funds as vice president and former Education Secretary.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
25 July 2025
-
Units will accept persons for short-term stabilization related to mental health or substance misuse.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
Researchers have seen that wild horses and burros will hog water tanks, streams, and other water sources — often to the detriment of native critters like deer and antelope, which are easily bullied by a big stallion.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
31 July 2025
-
After all, living with a drunk step-mom, being bullied at school, and failing all her classes isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
28 July 2025
Verb
-
After the match, Uso helped attack Sikoa’s MFTs and Fatu hit a picturesque moonsault off the top of the cage onto Loa and Mateo, getting some momentum back after a controversial defeat.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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Police responded to a call that an individual was being attacked by dogs at the Perris Hill Park in San Bernardino at around 5:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, July 31, KTLA and the Los Angeles Times reported.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Residents can also use AirNow, a part of the U.S. Air Quality Index, and check local conditions by searching their ZIP Code or city.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
31 July 2025
-
The participants didn’t use snorkels or fins but instead held their breath while diving deep into the ocean, often off La Jolla.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
The brand has spoken out after a week of online discourse and criticism.—
Mekishana Pierre,
EW.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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Trump's new tariffs are hitting several countries' imports harder than the rates that had initially been announced for those nations on April 2. Brazil's rate jumped from 10% to 50%, as Trump ramps up criticism of the country's treatment of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.—
Dan Mangan,Christina Wilkie,Erin Doherty,Sophie Kiderlin,Ruxandra Iordache,
CNBC,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Luis Leon, who received political asylum in the United States in 1987 after being tortured under Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet's regime, misplaced his wallet that held his legal residency card, according to Allentown, Pennsylvania, newspaper The Morning Call.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 July 2025
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Editor’s Pick From assassination plots to torture programs, the agency’s darkest operations have always been at the President’s behest.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
16 July 2025
Verb
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Minutes later, Boone was spotted appearing to scold first-base coach Travis Chapman for Chisholm getting thrown out.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
2 Aug. 2025
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But instead of yelling or scolding, Hocker speaks to her daughter gently, and with compassion.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuse. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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