abuse

noun
UK: /əˈbjuːz/
US: /əˈbjuːz/

  1. Cruel or violent treatment of someone.

    1. The child suffered terrible abuse. [ ] [ ]
    2. The report detailed widespread human rights abuses by the military during the conflict. [ ] [ ]

  2. The improper use of something.

    1. This is an abuse of power. [ ] [ ]
    2. The politician was accused of abuse of public funds for personal enrichment. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

exploit misuse oppress
abuse verb

  1. To treat someone cruelly or violently, often repeatedly.

    1. He abused his wife. [ ] [ ]
    2. She claimed that her boss had verbally abused her in front of colleagues. [ ] [ ]

  2. To make improper use of something.

    1. Don't abuse my trust. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company was accused of abusing its dominant position in the market by charging unfair prices. [ ] [ ]
abuse transitive-verb

  1. To use excessively (drugs, alcohol, etc.).

    1. He started to abuse alcohol. [ ] [ ]
    2. She sought treatment for abusing prescription painkillers after a car accident. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "abuse" in English means: Cruel or violent treatment of someone., The improper use of something..

The phonetic transcription of "abuse" is /əˈbjuːz/ in British English and /əˈbjuːz/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "abuse": exploit, misuse, oppress.

Example usage of "abuse": "The child suffered terrible abuse.". More examples on the page.