abusive — OET

abusive

adjective

1 he was fined for making abusive comments to officials:

insulting, rude, vulgar, offensive, disparaging, belittling, derogatory, disrespectful, denigratory, uncomplimentary, pejorative, vituperative;

disdainful, derisive, scornful, contemptuous;

defamatory, slanderous, libellous, scurrilous, blasphemous;

scolding, castigatory, reproving, reproachful;

informal bitchy;

archaic contumelious.

2 we rescued the animals from their abusive owner:

cruel, brutal, savage, inhuman, barbaric, barbarous, brutish, vicious, sadistic;

ruthless, merciless, pitiless, remorseless, uncaring, heartless, cold-blooded, cold-hearted, unfeeling, unkind, inhumane.

word toolkit
abusive relationship language father/mother treatment partner situation	pejorative term connotation meaning label description phrase	slanderous comment allegation campaign remark accusation testimony

abusive Oxford Dictionary of English