as in insulting
marked by harsh insulting language
never one to believe that honorable people can disagree honorably, he invariably launches abusive attacks against anyone who dares to challenge him
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abusive
However, witnesses including LaRoche's ex-husband and children claimed LaRoche was physically abusive towards Johnson-Schroeder.
—
Nicole Acosta, People.com, 15 Feb. 2025
Based in Houston, Sonne traveled the country in search of unfair, deceptive or abusive practices at financial institutions.
—Laurel Wamsley, NPR, 14 Feb. 2025
Reeling from his guilt over the death of Kwon (Brandon H. Lee) in episode 10, Kreese spent the final five episodes determined to make amends to Johnny for his abusive treatment of him in the past.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 13 Feb. 2025
In turn, Israel has accused Hamas of not respecting the order in which the hostages were to be released and of orchestrating abusive public displays before large crowds when they have been handed over to the Red Cross.
—James MacKenzie, Emily Rose, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abusive
Nicole Acosta, People.com, 15 Feb. 2025
Based in Houston, Sonne traveled the country in search of unfair, deceptive or abusive practices at financial institutions.
—Laurel Wamsley, NPR, 14 Feb. 2025
Reeling from his guilt over the death of Kwon (Brandon H. Lee) in episode 10, Kreese spent the final five episodes determined to make amends to Johnny for his abusive treatment of him in the past.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 13 Feb. 2025
In turn, Israel has accused Hamas of not respecting the order in which the hostages were to be released and of orchestrating abusive public displays before large crowds when they have been handed over to the Red Cross.
—James MacKenzie, Emily Rose, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abusive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abusive
Adjective
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The positive media coverage of Thomas was the insulting cherry on top of the situation for Estabrook.—
Jackson Thompson,
Fox News,
12 Feb. 2025
-
The crude and insulting attacks Democratic lawmakers have leveled at President Donald Trump and Elon Musk threaten to drive away voters who want the party to work with the new president to cut wasteful spending.—
Paul Bedard,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Lady Gaga has made a career of wearing the most outrageous, impractical and confounding costumes in pop history.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
20 Feb. 2025
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The project to build a bullet train from Los Angeles to Sacramento is an outrageous example of a public work that lacked any fiscal responsibility or oversight from the state government.—
Jon Coupal,
Orange County Register,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The truth about our involvement in Ukraine to oppose Russia is obscene.—
Bruce Fein,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Feb. 2025
-
The amount of cash being tossed around is obscene, and that’s part of what makes the show guiltily watchable.—
James Hibberd,
The Hollywood Reporter,
4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Tyla’s use of the word was not only considered egregious and offensive, but also a denial of her Blackness.—
Funmi Fetto,
Vogue,
25 Feb. 2025
-
This year, Poles can spend big on his offensive line and feel good about it.—
Adam Jahns,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Now, Microsoft has identified a resurfaced malware that has returned after years, equipped with new malicious capabilities, including stealing sensitive information such as digital wallets and data from the legitimate Notes app.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
27 Feb. 2025
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As the technology behind deepfakes advances, the need to fight their malicious usage has never been greater.—
Rohan Pinto,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Trump’s vituperative persona, his enmity toward multilateralism, and his extreme policy agenda could easily sink the United States’ prospects for meaningful leadership of the G-20.—
Leslie Vinjamuri,
Foreign Affairs,
15 Nov. 2024
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Unlike Rhoades, a vituperative colossus, however, Williams brings a steely determination and a Joe Friday, just-the-facts mien to his lawyering in the court of public opinion.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
4 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
One upshot was Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which to this day insulates social media from legal liability for the content — however incendiary or scurrilous — that users post.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2025
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Facts won’t deter Republicans on this point, however, for the same reason that Trump and his running mate, J. D. Vance, keep repeating their scurrilous lies about Haitian immigrants eating the pets of Ohio: white anxiety about a diversifying country has become one of the Party’s greatest assets.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
The New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2024
Adjective
-
Newsletter On Politics In an era of invective and distrust, two California candidates turned a tie over to chance.—
Jess Bidgood,
New York Times,
19 Dec. 2024
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Once more, Donald Trump’s lawyers are attempting to override the guilty verdict of a jury in the Manhattan hush money case, asking the court to toss it while slinging invective at the office of District Attorney Alvin Bragg, which successfully won Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts this year.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
5 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Abusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abusive. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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