abuse

The word “abuse” has 2 syllables: a-buse.

It's pronounced as /əˈbjuz/.


What is synonym and antonym for abuse?

In the thesaurus, “abuse” has 45 synonyms and 29 antonyms.

Here are synonyms and antonyms for abuse along with examples of usage in sentences.


Synonyms for abuse

  • attack
  • beat up
  • bully
  • corrupt
  • corruption
  • crime
  • criticism
  • damage
  • exploit
  • exploitation
  • harm
  • hurt
  • impair
  • injure
  • injury
  • injustice
  • insult
  • invective
  • leverage
  • maltreat
  • maltreatment
  • manipulate
  • misconduct
  • misdeed
  • mistreat
  • misuse
  • molest
  • offend
  • offense
  • oppress
  • persecute
  • pollution
  • prostitution
  • revile
  • scold
  • scurrility
  • slam
  • squander
  • torture
  • use
  • victimize
  • violate
  • violation
  • vituperation
  • wrongdoing

Antonyms for abuse

  • acclaim
  • advantage
  • aid
  • applause
  • application
  • apply
  • assist
  • benefit
  • blessing
  • cherish
  • commend
  • compliment
  • employment
  • favor
  • foster
  • good
  • good deed
  • hail
  • help
  • improve
  • kindness
  • nurture
  • obedience
  • please
  • pleasure
  • praise
  • protect
  • treat well
  • use

Meanings of abuse

  • noun
    1. Improper treatment or usage; application to a wrong or bad purpose; an unjust, corrupt or wrongful practice or custom.
    2. Misuse; improper use; perversion.
    3. A delusion; an imposture; misrepresentation; deception.
    4. Coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; language that unjustly or angrily vilifies.
    5. Catachresis.
    6. Physical maltreatment; injury; cruel treatment.
    7. Violation; defilement; rape; forcing of undesired sexual activity by one person on another, often on a repeated basis.
  • verb
    1. To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to use improperly; to misuse; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert.
    2. To injure; to maltreat; to hurt; to treat with cruelty, especially repeatedly.
    3. To attack with coarse language; to insult; to revile; malign; to speak in an offensive manner to or about someone; to disparage.
    4. To imbibe a drug for a purpose other than it was intended; to intentionally take more of a drug than was prescribed for recreational reasons; to take illegal drugs habitually.
    5. To violate; defile; to rape.
    6. Misrepresent; adulterate.
    7. To deceive; to trick; to impose on; misuse the confidence of.
    8. Disuse.

Example Sentences

  • Abuse of power can lead to serious consequences in any organization.
  • It's crucial to raise awareness about the various forms of abuse to prevent them from occurring.
  • She bravely spoke out against the abuse she endured in her previous relationship.
  • The company implemented strict policies to address workplace abuse and harassment.
  • Animal shelters provide refuge for pets that have suffered from neglect or abuse.

On this page you'll find 74 synonyms, antonyms, or another words to abuse, such as: acclaim, advantage, aid, applause, application, apply, assist.

Make sure to choose synonyms and antonyms that are appropriate for the context of the sentence.

Related Words

abusiveness

  • abuse
  • animosity
  • brutality
  • coercion
  • cruelty
  • despotism
  • dictatorship
  • domination
  • hatefulness
  • hatred
  • hostility
  • injustice
  • malevolence
  • malice
  • maliciousness
  • malignancy
  • malignity
  • maltreatment
  • meanness
  • persecution
  • spite
  • spitefulness
  • suffering
  • tyranny
  • viciousness

badness

  • abuse
  • affliction
  • ailment
  • atrocity
  • disease
  • disorder
  • evil
  • evilness
  • illness
  • infirmity
  • malady
  • malaise
  • misery
  • pain
  • sickness
  • sinfulness
  • suffering
  • syndrome
  • trouble
  • woe

ill

  • abuse
  • adverse
  • afflicted
  • affliction
  • ailing
  • ailment
  • awful
  • bad
  • bleak
  • condition
  • damaging
  • dangerous
  • deficient
  • detrimental
  • disastrous
  • disease
  • diseased
  • disorder
  • evil
  • fever
  • hard
  • harmful
  • harshly
  • horrible
  • illness
  • infirm
  • infirmity
  • lame
  • lonely
  • malady
  • malaise
  • menacing
  • misery
  • misfortune
  • never
  • no
  • ominous
  • oppressively
  • pain
  • poor
  • poorly
  • severely
  • sick
  • sickness
  • sinister
  • suffering
  • syndrome
  • terrible
  • threatening
  • tragedy
  • trouble
  • unacceptable
  • woe
  • woozy
  • wrong

ill-treat

  • abuse
  • bully
  • maltreat
  • mistreat
  • torture

ill-treated

  • abused
  • bullied
  • mistreated
  • tortured

Word List