Abuse

/əˈbjuːs/

Synonyms for "abuse" (393 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (79)

Noun(12 words)

insult misuse abusingabusive usebrutalizing brutes bullyingcomposition usecontumelies contumely cruelty cyberbully

abuse of officeaddiction afflict aggrieve aspersion assail assailing assault atrocity attack backbitingbark atbatter befoul befoulment belittle berate berating betongue betray

Show 41 more words

betrayal bewitch billingsgatebitter wordsblacken blackening blackguard blaspheme blasphemy bleedbleed whiteblight bruise buffetcall namescalumniate calumniation calumny catachresis censure condemn contumely conversion convert corruptcorrupt administrationcorruptioncriminal assaultcrucify curse cursingcuss outdamage damn debase debasement debauch debauchment deceive decry defalcate

Adjective(1 words)

abusive conduct

Verb(5 words)

blackguard brutalise brutalized brutalizes clapperclaw

Strong matches (118)

defalcation defamation defame defile defilement defloration deflower deflowering dependence deprave deprecate depreciate dereliction derogate desecrate desecration despoil despoilment destroydetract from

Show 75 more words

diatribe diminish disadvantage discount dishonor disparage dispraise disserve distress diversion divertdo a mischiefdo evildo illdo violence todo wrongdo wrong bydo wrong todoom drain embezzle embezzlement envenom epithet epithetize execrate execration exploit fault flak force foul foulingfulminate againstget into troubleharasshard wordsharm hex hurtill useill-treat ill-treatment ill-usage ill-use impair imposeimpose uponimprecation indignity infect injure injury insult invective jaw jawing jeremiad jinx knockknock aboutlambastelead astraylibel lightload with reproachesmake use ofmaladminister maladministration malediction malfeasance malign maligning malpractice maltreat

Noun(15 words)

demean exploit exploiting exploits flamingfrivolous litigationfuck harass harassment hazing hurl ill-treat ill-treatment ill-usage maltreat

Adjective(2 words)

excessive use of forcehazardous misuse

Verb(6 words)

harassing ill-treat ill-use maltreat maltreated maltreating

Related words (196)

maltreatment malversation manhandle manipulate mar masturbation maul menacemess upmilk minimize misapplication misapply misappropriate misappropriation misconduct misemploy misemployment misfeasance mishandle

Show 123 more words

mishandling mislead mismanage mismanagement mistreat mistreatment misusage misuse mock mockery molest molestation mud objurgate objurgation obloquy onslaught oppress oppression opprobrium outrage peculate peculation persecute persecution perversion pervert philippic pick pilfer pilfering pitch playplay havoc withplay hob withplay onpoison pollute pollutionpoor stewardshipprejudicepresume uponpriapism profanation profane profanity prostitute prostitution punish punishment ragrail atrailing rape rate rating ravage raverave againstravish ravishment rebuke reproach revile revilement reviling roughrough upruin sacrilege savage scandal scathe scold scolding screed scurrility seduce seducement seduction self-abusesexual assaultslander soil spoil strokesuck drysully swearswear atswearing tainttake advantage ofthreatenthunder againsttiradetongue lashtongue lashingtongue-lash tongue-lashing torment torture traduce upbraid upbraiding useuse illvilification vilify violate violation violence vituperate vituperationwork onwork uponwoundwreak havocwreak havoc onwrite offwrongyell atyelp at

Noun(30 words)

maltreatment misapplication misapply misconducting mistreat mistreatmentmisuse of processmisuses misusing molesting neglect overuse persecution pervertsprocedural abuseragging revilement slinging slurring tormenting

Show 10 more words

tortures torturing usesuses of manufactured materialvictimization victimizing vilification violations vitriol wronged

Verb(21 words)

maltreats masturbate mistreat mistreated mistreating mistreats misuse misused molested molests offend pervert reviles shout step tortured victimise victimised victimize victimized

Show 1 more word

victimizes

Determiner(1 words)

most slurring

Adjective(1 words)

verbal attack

Choosing the right synonym

Closest matches in this entry: insult, misuse, abuse of office, abusing, abusive conduct.
Sentence evidence is available for abuse, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "abuse".
Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "abuse"

Keep "abuse" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "abuse" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "abuse", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "abuse" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

5 relation types

More general

33 entries

assail assault attack consume deplete discourtesy disrespectdo byeateat upemployment exercise exhaust expend handle harassment

Showing 16 of 33 words.

More specific

19 entries

data abusedemeaning languagedilatory tacticsdrug abusedrug misuseemotional abuseexploitationforum shoppinginsults misapplicationname callingneglect overusephysical abusepower misuseresource misuse

Showing 16 of 19 words.

Collocations

8 entries

abuse of discretionabuse of powerchild abusedrug abuseemotional abusephysical abusesexual abuseverbal abuse

Inflections

3 entries

abused abuses abusing

Derivations

3 entries

abuser abusive abusively

Sample sentences

34 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

Words of abuse poured from his lips.

Source: tatoeba (35750)

I'm not afraid of anything after having verbal abuse heaped on me like that. In fact, I feel empowered by it.

Source: tatoeba (56099)

She walked out on her boyfriend after three years of abuse.

Source: tatoeba (245005)

There must be equal pay for equal work, and where this is not the case, the abuse must be resisted at all costs.

Source: tatoeba (245309)

Showing 4 of 34 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "abuse"?

Closest matches include insult, misuse, abuse of office, abusing, abusive conduct.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "abuse"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "abuse"

Meaning

Keep exploring

Read the definition Browse writing guides Read the blog