abuse

/ɐbjˈuːs/

/əbˈjus/, /əbˈjuz/

[noun] [verb]

Abuse

[NOUN]

treatment of a person or animal in a violent or cruel way

synonyms : ill-treatment

ill-usage

maltreatment

the harmful or wrong use of something

synonyms : misuse

a rude expression intended to offend or hurt

synonyms : contumely

to abuse

MAIN VERB

to cruelly or violently treat a person or an animal, especially regularly or repeatedly

synonyms : ill-treat

change the inherent purpose or function of something

synonyms : misuse

pervert

use wrongly or improperly or excessively

use foul or abusive language towards

synonyms : blackguard

clapperclaw

shout

to sexually assault a person, especially women and children

Examples

1. Sales assistants are often on the receiving end of verbal abuse from customers.

2. One day, after years of violent abuse from her husband, she took the law into her own hands.

3. A Xerox subsidy can be expensive for a company if employees abuse the privilege.

4. The celebrities were able to avoid jail time for their drug abuse because the laws are like cobwebs, which may catch small flies, but let wasps and hornets break through.

Nearby words

absurd

abstractionism

abstract expressionism