Abuse vs abuse

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Grammarist

Abuse and abuse  are two words that are spelled identically but are pronounced differently and have different meanings, which makes them heteronyms. We will examine the definitions of the words abuse and abuse, where these words came from, and a few examples of their use in sentences.

Abuse (uh BYEWS) is a noun that means a cruel practice or using something improperly. Abuse can come in the form of aggressive language, mental mistreatment, or physical or sexual torture. Abuse may also mean using a device improperly as to render it inoperable or to cause it to wear out prematurely. The word abuse is derived from the Latin word abusus, which means misused or using up.

Abuse (uh BYEWZ) is a verb that means to be cruel or do something improperly. It is a transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object. Related words are abuses, abused, abusing, abuser. The word abuse also comes from the Latin word, abusus.

Examples

A WHO staffer and three Ebola experts working in Congo during the outbreak separately told management about general sex abuse concerns around Diallo, The Associated Press has learned. (AP)

Dawn Floyd, who is a breast cancer survivor and has established a foundation to help struggling women who are undergoing breast cancer treatment, said children and parents alike are sometimes afraid to speak out when abuse is happening. (Detroit News)

“I’m not going to stop that because of people, either historians who think they are trained, or people who want to abuse me, that won’t stop me.” (Edinburgh Evening News)

They allege that PSUSD was told in 2004 by a parent that Moncada had abused a 7-year old but the district did not contact law enforcement. (Desert Sun)