Ask Difference

Abuse vs. Invective — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Abuse and Invective

ADVERTISEMENT

Compare with Definitions

Abuse

Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other types of aggression.
Jun 02, 2022

Invective

Invective (from Middle English invectif, or Old French and Late Latin invectus) is abusive, reproachful, or venomous language used to express blame or censure; or, a form of rude expression or discourse intended to offend or hurt; vituperation, or deeply seated ill will, vitriol.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

To use improperly or excessively; misuse
Abuse alcohol.
Abuse a privilege.
Jun 02, 2022

Invective

Denunciatory or abusive language; vituperation
An orator known for his abundant use of invective.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

To hurt or injure by maltreatment; ill-use
Animals that were abused by a negligent owner.
Jun 02, 2022
ADVERTISEMENT

Invective

A denunciatory or abusive expression or discourse
Shouted invectives at the umpire.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

To force sexual activity on; rape or molest.
Jun 02, 2022

Invective

An expression which inveighs or rails against a person.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

To assail with insulting or hurtful words; revile.
Jun 02, 2022

Invective

A severe or violent censure or reproach.
Jun 02, 2022
ADVERTISEMENT

Abuse

(Obsolete) To deceive or trick.
Jun 02, 2022

Invective

Something spoken or written, intended to cast shame, disgrace, censure, or reproach on another.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Improper or excessive use; misuse
Abuse of authority.
Drug abuse.
Jun 02, 2022

Invective

A harsh or reproachful accusation.
Politics can raise invective to a low art.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Rough treatment or use
Shoes that have taken a lot of abuse.
Jun 02, 2022

Invective

Characterized by invection or railing.
Tom's speeches became diatribes — each more invective than the last.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Physical maltreatment or violence
Spousal abuse.
Jun 02, 2022

Invective

Characterized by invection; critical; denunciatory; satirical; abusive; railing.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Sexual abuse.
Jun 02, 2022

Invective

An expression which inveighs or rails against a person; a severe or violent censure or reproach; something uttered or written, intended to cast opprobrium, censure, or reproach on another; a harsh or reproachful accusation; - followed by against, having reference to the person or thing affected; as, an invective against tyranny.
The world will be able to judge of his [Junius'] motives for writing such famous invectives.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Insulting or hurtful language, especially when used to threaten or demoralize
Subjected her subordinates to verbal abuse.
Jun 02, 2022

Invective

Abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

An unjust or wrongful practice
A government that commits abuses against its citizens.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Improper treatment or usage; application to a wrong or bad purpose; an unjust, corrupt or wrongful practice or custom.
All abuse, whether physical, verbal, psychological or sexual, is bad.
Human rights abuses.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Misuse; improper use; perversion.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

(obsolete) A delusion; an imposture; misrepresentation; deception.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; language that unjustly or angrily vilifies.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Catachresis.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Physical maltreatment; injury; cruel treatment.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Violation; defilement; rape; forcing of undesired sexual activity by one person on another, often on a repeated basis.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

(transitive) To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to use improperly; to misuse; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert
He abused his authority.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

(transitive) To injure; to maltreat; to hurt; to treat with cruelty, especially repeatedly.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

(transitive) To attack with coarse language; to insult; to revile; malign; to speak in an offensive manner to or about someone; to disparage.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

(transitive) To imbibe a drug for a purpose other than it was intended; to intentionally take more of a drug than was prescribed for recreational reasons; to take illegal drugs habitually.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

To violate; defile; to rape; (reflexive) to masturbate.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Misrepresent; adulterate.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

To deceive; to trick; to impose on; misuse the confidence of.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Disuse.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to misuse; to put to a bad use; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert; as, to abuse inherited gold; to make an excessive use of; as, to abuse one's authority.
This principle (if one may so abuse the word) shoots rapidly into popularity.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

To use ill; to maltreat; to act injuriously to; to punish or to tax excessively; to hurt; as, to abuse prisoners, to abuse one's powers, one's patience.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage.
The . . . tellers of news abused the general.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

To dishonor.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

To violate; to ravish.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

To deceive; to impose on.
Their eyes red and staring, cozened with a moist cloud, and abused by a double object.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Improper treatment or use; application to a wrong or bad purpose; misuse; as, an abuse of our natural powers; an abuse of civil rights, or of privileges or advantages; an abuse of language.
Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty, as well as by the abuses of power.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Physical ill treatment; injury.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

A corrupt practice or custom; offense; crime; fault; as, the abuses in the civil service.
Abuse after disappeared without a struggle..
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling.
The two parties, after exchanging a good deal of abuse, came to blows.
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female child.
Or is it some abuse, and no such thing?
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Cruel or inhumane treatment
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

A rude expression intended to offend or hurt;
When a student made a stupid mistake he spared them no abuse
They yelled insults at the visiting team
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Improper or excessive use
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Treat badly;
This boss abuses his workers
She is always stepping on others to get ahead
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Change the inherent purpose or function of something;
Don't abuse the system
The director of the factory misused the funds intended for the health care of his workers
Jun 02, 2022

Abuse

Use foul or abusive language towards;
The actress abused the policeman who gave her a parking ticket
The angry mother shouted at the teacher
Jun 02, 2022

Share Your Discovery

Share via Social Media
Embed This Content
Embed Code
Share Directly via Messenger
Link
⮪ Previous Comparison
Girl vs. Kiddo
Next Comparison ➦
Maleficence vs. Mischief

Popular Comparisons

Featured Comparisons

Trending Comparisons

New Phrases