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- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, noun
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word Explorer, Word Parts
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| pronunciation: |
byuz
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| inflections: |
abuses, abusing, abused |
| definition 1: |
to use in an improper or incorrect manner; misuse.
If you abuse your privileges, you will lose them.He began to abuse alcohol after his divorce.- synonyms:
- misapply, misemploy, misuse, pervert
- similar words:
- exploit, mishandle, profane
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| definition 2: |
to treat in a manner that causes injury or offense.
Seeing the boy's injuries, the doctor suspected that some adult had abused him.Smokers abuse their own lungs.- synonyms:
- aggrieve, disrespect, ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, mistreat, misuse, wrong
- antonyms:
- honor, mollycoddle, respect
- similar words:
- affront, batter, beat, belabor, harm, hit, hurt, injure, manhandle, mishandle, molest, offend, oppress, persecute, punish, shaft, strike, torment
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| definition 3: |
to talk to or of in an offensive or unfair manner.
You can say what you like about me, but don't start abusing my friends.- synonyms:
- badmouth, chew out, excoriate, insult, malign, revile, tongue-lash, vilify, wrong
- antonyms:
- adulate, compliment, flatter, praise
- similar words:
- affront, anathematize, assail, belabor, berate, blackguard, bullyrag, curse, denigrate, disparage, flay, inveigh against, lambaste, lash, objurgate, offend, rail at, upbraid, vituperate
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| related words: |
assassinate, attack, bully, defile, discredit, insult, misappropriate, outrage, ravish, rough, scold, traduce, use, violate |
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| pronunciation: |
byus
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| definition 1: |
improper or incorrect use; misuse.
The revolutionaries struggled against corruption and the government's abuse of power.- synonyms:
- misuse
- similar words:
- exploitation
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| definition 2: |
injurious or offensive treatment.
Child abuse is a serious crime.After years of abuse, she decided to leave her husband.- synonyms:
- ill-treatment, ill-usage, ill-use, maltreatment, mistreatment, misusage, wrong
- antonyms:
- care
- similar words:
- battery, beating, harm, injury, punishment, torture, work
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| definition 3: |
offensive or unfair comments or language.
The enemies hurled abuse at each other.- synonyms:
- disparagement, invective, obloquy, tongue-lashing, vilification
- antonyms:
- flattery, praise
- similar words:
- billingsgate, contumely, curse, diatribe, insult, malediction, philippic, scolding, scurrility, shaft, slur, vituperation
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| definition 4: |
a corrupt procedure or custom.
New laws were set up to prevent abuses within the welfare system.- synonyms:
- exploitation, malfeasance, misdeed, wrongdoing
- similar words:
- corruption, misfeasance, wrong
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| related words: |
affront, aspersion, assault, attack, brutality, malpractice, obloquy, offense |
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| derivation: |
abuser (n.) |
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