abusive Hear it!

abusive Definition

abu·sive (ə byo̵̅o̅siv; also, -ziv)

adjective

  1. involving or characterized by abuse or misuse; abusing; mistreating
  2. coarse and insulting in language; scurrilous; harshly scolding

Etymology: Fr abusif < L abusivus < abusus: see abuse

abusive Related Forms
abu·sively adverb abu·sive·ness noun
abusive Synonyms

abusive

modif.

  1. Harshly insulting

    offensive, scurrilous, insulting, sharp-tongued; see opprobrious, rude 2.

  2. Treating badly

    brutal, sadistic, injurious, corrupt; see cruel 1.

abusive Usage Examples

Preposition: as

  • act: Hence rape within marriage is now considered to be as abusive as any other violent act.

Preposition: towards

  • member: Maxton was on occasion abusive toward members of the Conservative Party and was several times suspended from the House of Comments for his comments.

Modifies a noun

  • e-mails: Please don't send Felix lots of abusive e-mails, he is such a nice gentleman.
  • behavior: Domestic abuse is any violent or abusive behavior toward you by a person known to you.
  • boyfriend: She steals from him for her abusive boyfriend; she talks of planning to kill him.
  • husband: A woman who fatally stabbed her abusive husband had her murder conviction quashed by the court of appeal today.
  • registration: Do you have any examples of an Abusive Registration?
  • father: Tom Cruise lived in fear of his abusive father.

Modifying Another Word

  • verbally: The only time I have heard him swearing or be verbally abusive has been in the presence of his mother.
  • racially: Three young children made racially abusive comments to the mother of a Bournemouth shop owner.
  • sexually: I consider myself fortunate that my dad wasn't a physical or sexually abusive parent, instead I suppose I suffered abuse through neglect.
  • violently: Shelley's violently abusive poems against them strike me as hysterical.
  • emotionally: Their problems were exacerbated by their struggle with the benefits system, which she considered emotionally abusive.
  • physically: He was never physically abusive to Mom or to me.

Used with adjective complement

  • become: At a visit on 18 June 1992 Mr Roberts became abusive.
  • consider: Their problems were exacerbated by their struggle with the benefits system, which she considered emotionally abusive.
  • get: Enjoy a bit of friendly banter but do not get abusive.
  • grow: It's no wonder that the kids grow up abusive, stroppy, slow learners, and disrespectful of authority!

Preposition: in

  • way: Being abusive in any way toward fellow players or admins will also result in disciplinary action.
  • nature: Be advised, some of the language used is abusive in nature, we have chosen not to sanitize this.

Browse dictionary entries near abusive

  1. abused
  2. abuse of process
  3. abuse of discretion
  4. abuse excuse
  5. abuse
  6. abundantly
  7. abundant
  8. abundance
  9. abulia
  10. Abukir
  1. abusive tax shelter
  2. abut
  3. abutilon
  4. abutment
  5. abuttal
  6. abuttals
  7. abutter
  8. abuzz
  9. aby
  10. Abydos