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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacks
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
a demanding, difficult patient who constantly abuses the nurses and aides
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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
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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
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Recent Examples of abuses
Juliana Kim, NPR, 9 Jan. 2026
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power.
—Nadia Sussman, ProPublica, 9 Jan. 2026
While these high-profile cases break through the silence and expose the egregious abuses of men whose standing insulated them for years, millions of survivors, particularly migrant women, remain invisible, and countless perpetrators go unpunished.
—Mónica Ramírez, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
These trainings prepare immigrant workers and everyday people to safely intervene, document abuses, accompany community members, and protect one another when ICE is present.
—Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 8 Jan. 2026
Courts can police the most egregious abuses, but litigation is a blunt instrument.
—Mark Desjardine, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
Advocates call for accountability measures As the situation unfolds, former prisoners and rights advocates say symbolic closures alone are not enough without accountability and independent oversight to ensure abuses truly end.
—Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
And Kelly had good reason to warn against abuses of military power.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Yet even among a number of Christians seeking to raise awareness and intensify efforts to put an end to systematic abuses committed by Boko Haram and other jihadi movements, the prospect of foreign intervention raises serious concerns.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
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
Reactions to the shootings, from public protests to online arguments, reflect a deep divide in how they're seen — as tragic abuses of power or law enforcement officers acting in self-defense.
—Verb
In the film, Victor emotionally abuses the Creature.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for abuses
Noun
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Men sneered contemptuously at them, while teenagers used their names as insults.—
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The Marty Supreme scene in question sees Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary (in his first screen acting role), who plays businessman Milton Rockwell, physically punish Chalamet's Marty for several insults Marty deals Milton throughout the movie.—
Verb
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Cipher bullies other characters across the season about their powers, but because of Andre and Polarity’s degenerative abilities, this underscores the eugenics behind his beliefs.—
Verb
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According to the Hindu, local eyewitnesses have said that the elephant attacks mostly at night while people are sleeping, and residents have been using firecrackers and patrol teams to keep the animal away from heavily populated areas.—
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Russia attacks Ukraine with new Oreshnik ballistic missile Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with a new hypersonic ballistic missile, an advanced weapon capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.—
Verb
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All the while, Tony Award winning director David Cromer (The Band’s Visit) exploits audience suspicion.—
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And nobody exploits a flaw quite like a cornered Shanahan.—
Noun
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These efforts build on the Legislature’s 2023 Live Local Act, which offered incentives for affordable housing development but has drawn criticisms of uneven implementation and limited impact.—
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Leo, who has promised to keep Francis' signature policies such as welcoming gay Catholics and discussing women's ordination, echoed his predecessor's frequent criticisms of the global economic system during his remarks on Tuesday.—
Verb
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Later, in one of the movie's most satisfying scenes, Millie locks Andrew in the attic and tortures him by loudly smashing each plate.—
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The mistake tortures them, which prompts the couple to try and solve the mystery by producing a fake play in an attempt to get their ex-neighbor Mary (Chloe Cherry) to audition.—
Verb
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But dropping the gloves can feel like an exasperating last act born of desperation and hopelessness - a door that slams behind you, leaves you in the dark and seldom reopens.—
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Trump slams Mamdani after primary win Mamdani’s primary victory shocked the political establishment and excited progressives.—
Verb
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Unlike bipedal humanoids, the Onero H1 uses a wheeled base paired with articulated arms, prioritizing stability and dexterity over walking.—
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Utah is the first state to more formally test how well AI can assess medical situations through a partnership with health-tech startup Doctronic that uses AI to prescribe refills for patients with chronic conditions, Politico reported.—
Cite this Entry
“Abuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abuses. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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