as in to abuse
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
some of the employees felt so ill-used by the new manager that they quit
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-use
Verb
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Prosecutors argue that Duckett was a monster in disguise who abused the badge and brutally raped and killed Teresa before dumping her body in a lake.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026 -
The officer laughed and explained that someone had called in a report about a canine possibly being abused or in need of emergency veterinary care due to the noise.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When these kids finally managed to attend classes, they were beaten and bullied by classmates.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Pitchfork,
4 Apr. 2026
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Hernandez was emphatic that nobody in her family bullied Rabell, who prior to landing at Hernandez’s home had been a client of DCF’s Adult Protective Services program.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ill-use.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-use. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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