Abuse

Quick meaning: Abuse is a noun meaning Improper treatment or usage; application to a wrong or bad purpose; an unjust, corrupt or wrongful practice or custom.

Meaning

Improper treatment or usage; application to a wrong or bad purpose; an unjust, corrupt or wrongful practice or custom.

More Meanings

1. Misuse; improper use; perversion.
2. Coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; language that unjustly or angrily vilifies.
3. (now rare) Catachresis.
4. Physical maltreatment; injury; cruel treatment.
5. Violation; defilement; rape; forcing of undesired sexual activity by one person on another, often on a repeated basis.
6. (transitive) To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to use improperly; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert
7. (obsolete) A delusion; an imposture; misrepresentation; deception.

Example Sentences

human rights abuses

children hurling abuse at each other

Or is it some abuse, and no such thing?

Dickens was careful to castigate abuses which were being reformed.

Word Forms

• abuses
• abusing
• abused

Synonyms for abuse

Depending on context, synonyms include abusage, invective, contumely, reproach, scurrility, insult.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include misuse, ill-treatment, ill-treat, ill-usage, ill-use, revilement.

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