ILL-USE Synonyms: 45 Similar and Opposite Words

ill-use

verb

ˈil-ˈyüz

Definition of ill-use

as in to abuse

to inflict physical or emotional harm upon some of the employees felt so ill-used by the new manager that they quit

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-use

Verb

After teenage boys first reported that they had been abused in 2005, Church of the Resurrection conducted an internal investigation that court records show was inconclusive.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
Acton’s campaign on Tuesday posted a video of her brother, who supported her backstory about living in a tent and being abused.

— Julie Carr Smyth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of abuse

Verb

As recess is one of the most active places for bullying to take place, Rhea wanted to counteract that trend.

— Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Washington should project vision and leadership to its friends, not jarring uncertainty and bullying transactionalism.

— Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of bully

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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ill-usages

ill-use

ill-used

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“Ill-use.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-use. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of ill-use

verb

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