Synonyms of 'abusive'

adjective

1 violentDictionary, wild, rough

a cruel and abusive partner

violent

He was a violent man with a drink and drugs problem.

wild

When drunk, he became wild and violent.

rough

I was a bit rough with you this morning.

cruel

the cruel practice of bullfighting

savage

This was a savage attack on a defenceless young girl.

brutal

He was the victim of a very brutal murder.

vicious

He suffered a vicious attack by a gang of youths.

destructive

the awesome destructive power of nuclear weapons

harmful

the harmful effects of smoking

maddened

hurtful

Her comments were very hurtful to Mrs Green's family.

unrestrained

impetuous

He tended to act in a heated and impetuous way.

homicidal

intemperate

the unwisely intemperate language of the party chairman

raging

furious

A furious gunbattle ensued.

injurious

Stress in itself is not necessarily injurious.

Opposites

2 insultingDictionary, offensive, rude

He was alleged to have used abusive language.

insulting

One of the workers made an insulting remark to a supervisor.

offensive

offensive remarks about minority groups

rude

He's rude to her friends.

maligning

affronting

She gave a contemptuous little laugh and walked away.

disparaging

He was alleged to have made disparaging remarks.

castigating

reviling

vilifying

invective

scurrilous

scurrilous rumours

defamatory

The article was highly defamatory.

insolent

Don't be insolent with me, young lady!

He claimed the articles were libellous and damaging to the team.

upbraiding

vituperative

one of journalism's most vituperative critics

reproachful

She gave her a reproachful look.

slanderous

He wanted an explanation for what he described as `slanderous' remarks.

traducing

calumniating

Opposites

praising

eulogistic

Additional synonyms

brutal

A brutal act or person is cruel and violent.

He was the victim of a very brutal murder.

contemptuous

If you are contemptuous of someone or something, you do not like or respect them at all.

She gave a contemptuous little laugh and walked away.

sneering

on your high horse (informal)

contumelious

cruel

the cruel practice of bullfighting

the persecution of prisoners by cruel officers

Source

Thesaurus for abusive from the Collins English Thesaurus

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Dictionary definition

Someone who is abusive behaves in a cruel and violent way towards other people.

Scrabble score for 'abusive': 12

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Synonyms of 'abusive'

adjective

Additional synonyms

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Nearby words of 'abusive'

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