as in maltreated
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1
as in bullied
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
if you abuse your pet, he will always have an ugly disposition
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacked
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
a demanding, difficult patient who constantly abuses the nurses and aides
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in misused
to put to a bad or improper use
if you abuse your baseball bat by using it to hammer nails, don't expect it to last long
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in exploited
to take unfair advantage of
abused his parents' trust, pilfering small amounts from them that he hoped they wouldn't notice
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abused
Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 29 July 2024
Defense lawyer Brian Russo argued that Bateman would benefit from mental health treatment, like the abused girls received.
—Miguel Torres, The Arizona Republic, 9 Dec. 2024
J.d. Davidson | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 Dec. 2024
The scientists believe their work could lead to stronger controls over AI programs and can pinpoint which ones are likely to be abused.
—Paul Ratner, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for abused 
Adjective
That day came 22 years later when Laks started rescuing abused animals from a nearby petting zoo in California.
—Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 29 July 2024
Defense lawyer Brian Russo argued that Bateman would benefit from mental health treatment, like the abused girls received.
—Miguel Torres, The Arizona Republic, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
That investigation found Strauss abused at least 177 male athletes, according to the university.
—J.d. Davidson | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 Dec. 2024
The scientists believe their work could lead to stronger controls over AI programs and can pinpoint which ones are likely to be abused.
—Paul Ratner, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for abused
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abused
Verb
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Unfortunately for them, Steph won’t be bullied – even by paternalistic threats of being sued into oblivion.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
23 Dec. 2024
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Trans athletes feel unsafe, bullied Meanwhile, in Riverside on Thursday, advocates gathered at the Inland Empire LGBTQ+ Center.—
Rebecca Plevin,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The site has previously been attacked by Ukrainian drones.—
David Hambling,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
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Two months after the end of the Korean War, the United States signed a bilateral mutual security treaty with South Korea in which Washington committed to come to Seoul’s aid if it were attacked.—
Samuel Charap,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Default passwords are often easily accessible and can be exploited in seconds by knowledgeable attackers.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
24 Dec. 2024
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But a reality show based on a show about a group of poor people being exploited for entertainment and violence didn’t come without its own controversy.—
Matt Minton,
Variety,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Councilmember Bob Holden slammed Hochul for this, arguing that the city and state simply need to enforce existing laws instead of changing them.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
3 Jan. 2025
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The statement sparked outrage with GOP lawmakers, who slammed Allstate for not explicitly condemning terrorism.—
Jackson Walker,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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When used thoroughly, AI can allow faster decisions, boost output and shorten the time to market.—
Peter Benei,
Forbes,
3 Jan. 2025
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While there are certainly products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
28 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The book, which was written in 1948, focuses on the consequences of totalitarianism, the government’s mass surveillance of the public and how truth and fact can be manipulated.—
Rachel Flynn,
People.com,
3 Jan. 2025
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The actor who plays Sofia Falcone in the HBO series never went method (unlike some Batman villains), but the part required tapping into a character who has been gaslit, manipulated, and isolated from society in every way.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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At least 35 people were injured in the incident, officials said, and at the time some were hospitalized in critical condition.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2025
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Within the past 24-hours— according to Gaza’s Health Ministry— more than 59 people have been killed by strikes in the area and more than 270 have been injured.—
Daphne Ewing-Chow,
Forbes,
5 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The plaintiffs seek a declaratory judgment that the commission, by approving the plans, has violated their fundamental rights.—
Amy Green,
Orlando Sentinel,
24 Dec. 2024
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Months later, the Department of Justice concluded that five Texas juvenile detention centers violated children's constitutional and civil rights.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA TODAY,
24 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near abused
Cite this Entry
“Abused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abused. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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