abuse
noun
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Definition of abuse
(Entry 1 of 2)
abuse
verb
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Definition of abuse (Entry 2 of 2)
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Other Words from abuse
Verb
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adjective
Synonyms for abuse
Synonyms: Noun
billingsgate, fulmination, invective, obloquy, scurrility, vitriol, vituperation
Synonyms: Verb
brutalize, bully, ill-treat, ill-use, kick around, maltreat, manhandle, mess over [slang], mishandle, mistreat, misuse
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Examples of abuse in a Sentence
Noun
He subjected his wife to physical and emotional abuse. the buying of votes and other election abuses She was subjected to every term of abuse her boss could think of. a torrent of verbal abuse The prisoner hurled abuse at the judge.Verb
He was accused of sexually abusing a child. He abused his body with years of heavy drinking. He had abused his first car by not taking care of it. She abused her friend's trust. a senator who abuses his power He abused my confidence by letting this secret be known.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
But your own children (for instance) might be better equipped to handle this, because they weren’t exposed to this abuse during their own childhoods, and because they were raised by you in a higher-functioning and healthier home. — Amy Dickinson, BostonGlobe.com, "Abuse survivor went through it and is now over it," 16 Aug. 2019 After years of reciprocal abuse, most of it levelled by the M5S at the PD, mistrust between the two parties runs deep. — The Economist, "Italy’s would-be strongman suddenly looks more vulnerable," 15 Aug. 2019 Luminary teaches socially and economically disadvantaged women—those who have been homeless, in the prison system, or victims of domestic abuse, for example—how to bake. — Vogue, "The Special Meaning Behind Meghan Markle’s Beautiful Birthday Cake," 14 Aug. 2019 Judges can consider an individual’s history of domestic abuse, for example, under red-flag laws adopted in at least 17 states. — Julie Bosman, New York Times, "A Common Trait Among Mass Killers: Hatred Toward Women," 10 Aug. 2019 Police have charged Malachi’s mother, Alicia Lawson, and her spouse, Shatika Lawson, with involuntary manslaughter, child abuse, assault, reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and giving false statements. — Mckenna Oxenden, baltimoresun.com, "Funeral planned for 4-year-old Malachi; family says public is invited," 10 Aug. 2019 Indiana has double the rate of child abuse than the national average, a federal agency reported. — Andrew Clark, Indianapolis Star, "Lawyer: Tri-West football coach abused student, threatened to retaliate if she spoke out," 8 Aug. 2019 But the issues are also, unfortunately, timeless: divorce, abuse, mental illness, self-loathing. — Molly Oswaks, Teen Vogue, "How Euphoria's Costume Designer Created Each Character's Look," 5 Aug. 2019 The provocative series, which ends its season one Sunday, has received rave reviews for its unwavering portrayals of adolescent drug abuse, sexuality, and body image. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Barbie Ferreira Is Ready for More ‘Hot and Secure’ Fat Girls on TV," 4 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Steering clear of overt politics, Mak falls into a comfortable family drama rhythm that passes the (over-abused) Bechdel test with flying colors. — Elizabeth Kerr, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Fagara' ('Huajiao zhiwei'): Film Review," 14 Aug. 2019 Architects stand together to support those who are threatened or abused. — Diana Budds, Curbed, "Inside the AIA’s efforts to address #MeToo," 5 Aug. 2019 Part of the goal is to better detect landlords that are abusing the system and enforce the law, Kovac said. — Alison Dirr, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee renters can now easily see a landlord's eviction record before signing a lease," 29 July 2019 If an officer has probable cause to think someone has abused a spouse, partner or family member, then the officer must make an arrest. — Ramona Sentinel, "Crime Prevention Corner: Domestic abuse comes in many forms," 26 June 2019 Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth and is responsible for more than 4,300 deaths annually among minors. — Suzanne Baker, Naperville Sun, "Naperville teens tag liquor bottles in Naperville Jewel store to change adult attitudes about giving alcohol to minors," 14 June 2019 Dad, stepmom charged in starvation death boy in Indiana BLOOMINGTON — A man who carried his son's lifeless body into an Indiana hospital has been charged with murder after an autopsy found that the 12-year-old had been abused and starved to death. — Chicago Tribune, Post-Tribune, "State briefs," 3 June 2019 Owners of those systems will have to depend on firmware and software updates to lower the risk, and to count on the absence of any known attacks abusing the ZombieLoad exploit, so far. — Gordon Mah Ung, PCWorld, "Intel: You don't need to disable Hyper-Threading to protect against the ZombieLoad CPU exploit," 15 May 2019 One girl was allegedly abused between July 2008 and July 2012, according to his indictment. — Jacob Beltran, ExpressNews.com, "Professional San Antonio boxer accused of continuous sexual abuse," 1 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abuse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.