Synonyms for abuse

noun

Misuse
misuse, misapplication, perversion, debasement, degradation, ill-usage, misemployment, desecration, misappropriation, mishandling, mismanagement, pollution, improper use, exploitation, profanation, defilement, prostitution.
Antonyms respect, care*, veneration.
Insulting language
invective, revilement, vituperation; see blame 1, insult.
Ill-treatment
injury, mistreatment, damage, harm, hurt, maltreatment, ill-usage, ill-treatment, molestation, molesting, battering, battery, outrage, impairment, wrong, injustice, violation, persecution, harassment.
Antonyms help*, defense, benefit.

verb

To treat badly
misuse, mistreat, insult, injure, hurt, harm, damage, impair, aggrieve, ill-treat, ill-use, batter, molest, maltreat, misemploy, misapply, misappropriate, wrong, persecute, torment, nag, victimize, oppress, ruin, mar, spoil, vulgarize, outrage, do wrong by, do wrong to, mishandle, pervert, profane, prostitute, desecrate, pollute, harass, manhandle, do an injustice to, take advantage of, exploit, overstrain, overwork, overtax, overdrive, overburden, violate, defile, impose upon, deprave, taint, debase, corrupt, squander, waste, dissipate, exhaust, do one's worst*, knock about*.
Antonyms defend*, protect, befriend.
To hurt with words
revile, malign, vilify, berate; see censure, scold, slander.

See abuse in American Heritage Dictionary 4 Synonyms

abuse misuse mistreat ill-treat maltreat

These verbs mean to treat wrongfully or harmfully. Abuse applies to injurious or improper treatment: “We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us” (Aldo Leopold).
Misuse stresses incorrect or unknowledgeable handling: “How often misused words generate misleading thoughts” (Herbert Spencer).
Mistreat, ill-treat, and maltreat all share the sense of inflicting injury, often intentionally: “I had seen many more patients die from being mistreated for consumption than from consumption itself” (Earl of Lytton). The army had orders not to ill-treat the prisoners. “When we misuse [a language other than our native language], we are in fact trying to reduce its element of foreignness. We let ourselves maltreat it as though it naturally belonged to us” (Manchester Guardian Weekly).

See abuse in Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus II

verb