adj
abusive
uh-BYOO-sihv
adj
1
Behaving in a cruel, violent, or insulting way toward someone.
"He became abusive whenever he drank too much."
"The coach was fired after abusive comments toward players surfaced."
2
Involving or characterized by misuse, such as wrongful or illegal use.
"The company was accused of abusive tax practices."
How to Use Abusive
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCruel, violent, or insulting in behavior — or, less commonly, describing wrongful misuse of something.
Common pairings
abusive relationship
abusive language
verbally abusive
Word Forms
more abusive comparative, most abusive superlative
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Etymology
From French abusif, ultimately from Latin abusivus, related to abuse.