| Main Entry: | abuse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack with words |
Synonyms: |
backbite, bad-mouth, bash, belittle, berate, blow off, calumniate, cap, castigate, cuss out, cut down, cut to the quick, decry, defame, derogate, discount, do a number on, dump on, give a black eye, hurl brickbat, insult, knock*, minimize, nag, offend, oppress, persecute, pick on, put down*, rag on, reproach, revile, ride*, rip up, run down, scold, signify, slam*, slap, sling mud, smear, sound*, swear at, tear apart, trash*, upbraid, vilify, vituperate, zing |
| Notes: | abuse carries with it some sense of harm; misuse refers to an incorrect use that may not lead to harm to misuse is to use something wrongly, to abuse is to misuse something so badly that you damage it |
Antonyms: |
acclaim, adulate, approve, commend, compliment, praise |
| Main Entry: | belittle |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | detract |
Synonyms: |
bad-mouth, blister, criticize, cut down to size, cut to the quick, decry, deprecate, depreciate, deride, derogate, diminish, discount, discredit, disparage, dispraise, downgrade, downplay, dump on, knock*, lower, minimize, pan, pooh pooh, poor mouth, put down, rip*, roast, run down, scoff at, scorch*, scorn, shoot down, shoot full of holes, slam*, smear, sneer at, sour grapes, squash, squelch, take a swipe at, take down, take down a peg, tear down, underestimate, underrate, undervalue, write off |
Antonyms: |
build up, exaggerate, praise, value |
| Main Entry: | displease |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make unhappy |
Synonyms: |
aggravate, anger, annoy, antagonize, bother, cap, chagrin, cool, curdle, cut to the quick, disappoint, discontent, disgruntle, disgust, disoblige, dissatisfy, enrage, exasperate, fret, frustrate, gall, hurt, incense, irk, irritate, nettle, offend, perplex, pique, play dirty, provoke, put out, repel, revolt, rile, roil, sound, turn off, upset, vex, wing*, worry, zing |
Antonyms: |
appease, calm, compose, delight, humor, make happy, please, satisfy |
| Main Entry: | humble |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | shame, put down |
Synonyms: |
abase, abash, bemean, break, bring down, cast down, chagrin, chasten, confound, confuse, crush*, cut to the quick, debase, deflate, degrade, demean, demote, deny, discomfit, discredit, disgrace, embarrass, hide, humiliate, lower*, make eat dirt, make one feel small, mortify, overcome, pop one's balloon, pull down, put away, put one away, put to shame, reduce, silence, sink, snub, squash, squelch, strike dumb, subdue, take down a peg, take down, upset |
Antonyms: |
build up, praise, promote |
| Main Entry: | hurt |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | cause mental pain |
Synonyms: |
abuse, afflict, aggrieve, annoy, burn, chafe, constrain, cut to the quick, discomfit, discommode, displease, distress, excruciate, faze, give no quarter, go for jugular, grieve, hit where one lives, injure, lambaste, lay a bad trip on, lean on, martyr, martyrize, prejudice, punish, put down, put out, sadden, sting*, thumb nose at, torment, torture, try, upset, vex, vitiate, work over, wound, zing |
Antonyms: |
calm, placate, please, relieve, soothe |
| Main Entry: | insult |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | abuse, offend |
Synonyms: |
abase, affront, aggravate, annoy, blister, curse, cut to the quick, debase, degrade, deride, dishonor, disoblige, dump on, flout, gird, humiliate, injure, irritate, jeer, libel, mock, outrage, pan, provoke, put down*, revile, ridicule, roast, scoff, slam*, slander, slight, sneer, snub, step on one's toes, taunt, tease, underestimate, vex |
Antonyms: |
compliment, flatter, praise |
| Main Entry: | pain |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | bother, trouble |
Synonyms: |
ache, afflict, aggrieve, agonize, ail, anguish, annoy, bite, chafe, chasten, constrain, convulse, cut to the quick, discomfort, disquiet, distress, exasperate, excruciate, gall, grieve, gripe, harass, harm, harrow, hit where one lives, hurt, inflame, injure, irk, irritate, nick, prick, punish, rack, rile, sadden, smart, sting, strain, stress, suffer, throb, tingle, torment, torture, upset, vex, worry, wound |
Antonyms: |
aid, assist, assuage, help, please |
| Main Entry: | slur |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | insult |
Synonyms: |
blacken, blemish, blister, blot, blow off, brand, calumniate, cap, chop*, cut to the quick, cut up, defame, denigrate, detract, discredit, disgrace, dump on, give a black eye, hit where one lives, insinuate, kick in the teeth, libel, malign, miff, offend, push, put down*, reproach, roast, scorch*, skin alive, slander, slap in the face, slight, smear, snub, spatter, stain, tear down, traduce, vilify, zing |
Antonyms: |
compliment, flatter, praise |
| Main Entry: | wound |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | cause mental hurt |
Synonyms: |
bother, cut to the quick, distress, disturb, do in, dump on, get*, grieve, hurt, hurt one's feelings, mortify, offend, outrage, pain, put down*, shake up, sting, traumatize, trouble, upset |
Antonyms: |
appease, help |
| Main Entry: | traumatize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | inflict trauma |
Synonyms: |
bother, cut to the quick, distress, disturb, do in, dump on, get*, grieve, hurt, hurt one's feelings, mortify, offend, outrage, pain*, put down*, shake up, shock, sting*, trouble, upset |