Definition of Abusive

1. Adjective. Expressing offensive reproach.

Exact synonyms: Opprobrious, Scurrilous
Similar to: Offensive
Derivative terms: Abuse, Scurrility

2. Adjective. Characterized by physical or psychological maltreatment. "Argued...that foster homes are abusive"
Similar to: Harmful
Derivative terms: Abuse

Definition of Abusive

1. a. Wrongly used; perverted; misapplied.

Definition of Abusive

1. Adjective. Wrongly used; perverted; misapplied. ¹

2. Adjective. Practicing abuse; prone to ill treat by coarse, insulting words or by other ill usage; as, an '''abusive''' author; an '''abusive''' fellow. ¹

3. Adjective. Being physically injurious. ¹

4. Adjective. Containing abuse, or serving as the instrument of abuse; vituperative; reproachful; scurrilous. ¹

5. Adjective. (context: obsolete) Tending to deceive; fraudulent; cheating. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Abusive

1. characterized by wrong or improper use [adj]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Abusive

abusee
abusees
abuseful
abusefully
abusefulness
abuser
abusers
abuses
abuses of discretion
abusing
abusio
abusion
abusions
abusive (current term)
abusively
abusiveness
abusivenesses
abustle
abut
abut on
abutilon
abutilons
abutment
abutment arch
abutments
abuts

Literary usage of Abusive

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Healthy People 2000: National Health Promotion & Disease Prevention by DIANE Publishing Company (2004)
"Personnel Needs Priorities for ensuring an adequate supply of trained personnel to achieve the violence and abusive behavior objectives include the ..."

2. Audit Guide: Auditing & Investigating the Internal Control of Government by Stephen William Lipscomb (2004)
"Evaluating the adequacy of internal control designed to mitigate the risk of fraudulent, improper, and abusive transactions, requires the auditor to gain an ..."

3. Journal of Comparative Legislation and International Law by Society of Comparative Legislation, London (1900)
"abusive EXERCISE OF RIGHTS ACCORDING TO FRENCH LAW. ... abusive exercise has in general been taken to mean unreasonable exercise— that is to say, ..."

4. Dictionary of National Biography by LESLIE. STEPHEN (1889)
"Although he was sometimes moved to great wrath he abstained from using abusive words. Unlike his countrymen generally he was moderate in eating and drinking ..."

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