1
as in insults
harsh insulting language
hometown fans hurled abuse at the visiting team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in misuses
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 bullies
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 attacks
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 perverts
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 exploits
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of abuses
Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
The sobering reality, however, is that the legal challenges to the administration’s abuses have been necessary, but not sufficient to secure our freedoms.
—Chris Mattei, Hartford Courant, 6 Feb. 2026
Their goal is to watch for abuses of power or unlawful stops and create a database with information about who is being detained.
—Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Like Aleys, Alouette forms alliances with other women, Sylvine and Marguerite, the latter of whom carefully documents the guards’ abuses in a ledger.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Holding federal agents accountable will deter future abuses of power.
—Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
From 1939 to 1975, the Franco dictatorship placed Spain in the grip of repressive leadership that, among other abuses of power, exerted strict censorship over the country’s cinema.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 5 Feb. 2026
Torture and other human rights abuses have been repeatedly documented at El Helicoide.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Jan. 2026
In the film, Victor emotionally abuses the Creature.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Bowles abuses those pass-blocking rules by stunting the three-technique, Logan Hall (90), across the left guard's face, knowing the guard will follow him.
—Derrik Klassen, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
But outside of the ring, Christy hides and represses her lesbianism and winds up marrying her trainer Jim Martin (Ben Foster), who manipulates and physically abuses her.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
General amnesty law The government has denied that there are political prisoners in Venezuela, rejecting the accusations of torture and ill treatment and saying reports on human rights abuses behind bars are false and politically motivated.
—Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
The sobering reality, however, is that the legal challenges to the administration’s abuses have been necessary, but not sufficient to secure our freedoms.
—Chris Mattei, Hartford Courant, 6 Feb. 2026
Their goal is to watch for abuses of power or unlawful stops and create a database with information about who is being detained.
—Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Like Aleys, Alouette forms alliances with other women, Sylvine and Marguerite, the latter of whom carefully documents the guards’ abuses in a ledger.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Holding federal agents accountable will deter future abuses of power.
—Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
From 1939 to 1975, the Franco dictatorship placed Spain in the grip of repressive leadership that, among other abuses of power, exerted strict censorship over the country’s cinema.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 5 Feb. 2026
Torture and other human rights abuses have been repeatedly documented at El Helicoide.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
This campaign abuses WhatsApp Web to spread automatically once a device is infected.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Jan. 2026
In the film, Victor emotionally abuses the Creature.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Bowles abuses those pass-blocking rules by stunting the three-technique, Logan Hall (90), across the left guard's face, knowing the guard will follow him.
—Derrik Klassen, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
But outside of the ring, Christy hides and represses her lesbianism and winds up marrying her trainer Jim Martin (Ben Foster), who manipulates and physically abuses her.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abuses
Noun
-
Years of insults and diss tracks and pranks and social media posts have followed, with small islands of peace floating by from time to time.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
-
When things go sour, both kids spew insults and indignation with a matter-of-fact insolence.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Second, that the occasional misuses of that discretion would be few, far between, and manageable by the court system through robust testing and oversight.—
Paul Rosenzweig,
The Atlantic,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Collective action deters bullies Harvard never stood alone.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
-
There’s always a mean kid in your class who bullies everybody else.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
After going to a hematologist, Natalie learned that her blood basically attacks fetuses.—
Hannah Kirby,
jsonline.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
After a serial killer attacks a Florida State University sorority house leaving multiple sisters dead, the stakes have never been higher.—
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
At the same time, the regime shamelessly exploits international sporting events to legitimize itself and whitewash its crimes.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
7 Feb. 2026
-
For Abercrombie & Fitch, fraud often exploits early refund programs and customer service escalation, according to Rob Sondergaard, the apparel retailer’s senior director of returns, fraud and abuse.—
Peter Sadera,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The vote came after some supervisors issued sharp criticisms of County Executive David Crowley's administration for allowing the lapse to occur.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
5 Feb. 2026
-
And the makers of the show heard those criticisms and responded by…fixing the problem?—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The retrospection tortures her.—
Alexandra Rockey Fleming,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Later, in one of the movie's most satisfying scenes, Millie locks Andrew in the attic and tortures him by loudly smashing each plate.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Continue reading … POLITICS BAD CALL – Trump admin slams Dems’ ‘call 911 on ICE’ push as reckless, links policy to riots and violent arrests.—
,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Winter storm slams the East While Arizona's system is mostly a light-rain and mountain-snow setup, a sprawling winter storm is creating far bigger problems across the eastern half of the country.—
Hayleigh Evans,
AZCentral.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuses. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
