as in maltreated
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1
as in bullied
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 attacked
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 misused
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in exploited
to take unfair advantage of
abused his parents' trust, pilfering small amounts from them that he hoped they wouldn't notice
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abused
Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
This trashy horror-thriller centers on an abused boy (Max Thieriot) who grows up to wreak havoc on a suburban town and the teenager (Lawrence) who cares about him.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2025
ABC News, 18 May 2026
Emboldened by getting off without serious consequences, Trump has not only abused his power to press for clemency for Peters.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for abused
Adjective
There’s Manny, Zitzs and EZ, who has a way with the girls; Izzy, an abused boy who hides his family’s secrets, and Gloria, as good at sports as the boys and so fierce nobody teases her little sister about her stutter.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
This trashy horror-thriller centers on an abused boy (Max Thieriot) who grows up to wreak havoc on a suburban town and the teenager (Lawrence) who cares about him.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
The 68-year-old pharmacist has targeted a House ethics investigation into whether Collins abused taxpayer funds by hiring the girlfriend of his former chief of staff — now his campaign adviser — for work that the woman allegedly did not perform.
—ABC News, 18 May 2026
Emboldened by getting off without serious consequences, Trump has not only abused his power to press for clemency for Peters.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for abused
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abused
Verb
-
Justin is being bullied at school, but doesn’t want to burden his father.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
15 May 2026
-
Amar, who is nine years old, has been hit and bullied at school; once, a classmate strangled him.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Moments after the landscaper was attacked, officers got a call about a car in the middle of the street nearby.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
19 May 2026
-
Denise attacked Djena again, beating her until Mohamed and their eldest son, Ahmed, pulled her off.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Magyar has pledged to create the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, an authority tasked with investigating and seeking to recover public funds allegedly misused during Orbán’s tenure.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
-
More than 13 million Americans have misused nitrous oxide, according a 2023 national survey.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The other half want the colorful creatures protected and even exploited to boost tourism in the area.—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
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The suit, which exposed how liability laws can be exploited, may have been eye-opening for the public.—
Greg Hodgen,
Washington Post,
14 May 2026
Verb
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In 2017, the Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission determined ther was credible evidence that Day was tortured into a false confession.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
-
On the device was a recording lasting over seven hours that allegedly captured the sound of Torbick being tortured, prosecutors reportedly said.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Pratt slammed the city’s permitting problems.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
-
Beua Leroux slammed home a volley in the 18th minute and Reid Roberts scored his first MLS goal in the 81st for San Jose.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
The Constitution has been perverted in ways by administrations on both sides of the aisle to facilitate military action.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Organized sports can easily be perverted.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
These ingredients are used in Ana Mandara’s farm-to-table meals, spa products, and custom fragrances.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
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In 2017, detectives used DNA samples preserved from Walls' body and the area in which she was found to create an image of a person of interest, according to The Virginian-Pilot.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abused. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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