abusive
/əˈbjuːsɪv
/adjective
1Extremely offensive and insulting: the goalkeeper was sent off for using abusive language he became quite abusive and swore at her...
- Mrs Walsh said the four men arrested for abusive language hurled insults at the police outside the pub after staff helped officers to clear the bar.
- Individuals should not be allowed to run amok insulting and using abusive language against one another.
- The other victim came out and both girls shouted at them using extremely abusive language.
Synonyms
insulting, rude, vulgar, offensive, disparaging, belittling, derogatory, disrespectful, denigratory, uncomplimentary, pejorative, vituperative;
disdainful, derisive, scornful, contemptuous;
defamatory, slanderous, libellous, scurrilous, blasphemous;
scolding, castigatory, reproving, reproachful
informal bitchy
archaic contumelious
2Engaging in or characterized by habitual violence and cruelty: abusive parents an abusive relationship...
- The gratuitous gossip included claims of domestic violence, adultery and abusive relationships.
- She struggled through divorce, life as a single parent, abusive relationships and another rocky marriage.
- I was in a particularly nasty marriage, a violent and abusive relationship that started the day after the wedding.
Synonyms
cruel, brutal, savage, inhuman, barbaric, barbarous, brutish, vicious, sadistic;
ruthless, merciless, pitiless, remorseless, uncaring, heartless, cold-blooded, cold-hearted, unfeeling, unkind, inhumane
3Involving injustice or illegality: the abusive and predatory practices of businesses...
- Society increasingly perceives individuals to be passive victims of abusive and predatory corporations.
- What they are not willing to do, however, is take part in what they view as an illegal and abusive occupation.
- The previous day, an Athens court ruled that the strike was illegal and abusive.
Derivatives
abusively
/ adverb ...- The pace is frenetic: women's heels click the sidewalks with conviction, mobile phones are spoken into earnestly, and cars honk their horns abusively.
- Scilla begins by explaining that she wants to know how to be powerful in a way which enables her to respond effectively when she sees power being abused, and yet not use her own power abusively.
- And many of them were treated horribly and abusively.
abusiveness
/ noun ...- Due to his unruly behaviour, which included rudeness and abusiveness, the management was forced to ban him from using these facilities.
- The students took their charge seriously, suggesting rules such as: ‘No violence or abusiveness - either physical or verbal’ and ‘Come to class on time and prepared.’
- I've had a policy of not editing comments of others, regardless of abusiveness.