Word
abuse
Meanings
Cruel, violent, or deeply unfair treatment of a person, especially repeated over time.
The harmful or improper use of something, such as alcohol, drugs, or power.
To treat someone cruelly or violently, or to use something in a harmful or improper way.
Definition
Abuse is the cruel or improper treatment of someone or the harmful misuse of something.
Abuse can mean treating a person violently, cruelly, or with persistent disrespect, often by using power unfairly. It can also mean using something in a harmful or improper way, such as misusing alcohol, drugs, or authority. In both meanings, the idea is that something is used in a way that causes harm or goes against accepted standards.
Examples
- The report documents years of abuse that supervisors ignored despite repeated complaints.
- I refused to stay silent when I witnessed abuse on the team.
- She described how online abuse escalated after her public speech.
- They were trained to recognize abuse of authority in high-pressure workplaces.
- If you abuse your position, you damage trust far beyond the immediate decision.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse "abuse" with "use" and may say "abuse something" when they simply mean "use it a lot," but "abuse" implies harm or improper use.
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