Abuses is a plural noun and verb form meaning harmful or unethical uses of something, or actions that show cruelty or misuse. As a verb, it refers to the third-person singular present or plural past of abuse. The term combines the root “abuse” with an -es plural or verb ending, and often appears in contexts discussing wrongdoing, exploitation, or improper use.
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"The charity documented several abuses of funds by a former administrator."
"Some regions accuse tech platforms of abuses of power in moderation."
"The study highlighted abuses and neglect in the care facility."
"You should report any abuse you witness to the proper authorities."
Abuse comes from the Old French abuse, derived from Latin amutiare meaning to misapply or use wrongly, from ad- ‘to’ + mutare ‘to change/mutate’ (related to ‘change for the worse’). The plural form abuses surfaces with the addition of -es to indicate either the third-person singular present tense (he/she abuses) or the noun plural (abuses). The word expanded in English usage during the medieval and early modern periods to cover harmful acts, whether physical maltreatment or wrongful usage of something (like power, funds, or rights). In its noun sense, abuses often collocate with phrases like “sexual abuses,” “financial abuses,” or “abuses of power,” signaling systemic or repeated patterns rather than isolated incidents. By the 18th–19th centuries, the term acquired broader moral and legal weight, appearing in anti-abuse rhetoric and policy discussions. Modern usage commonly contrasts “abuses” with “protections,” reflecting ongoing social and legal debates around accountability and remedy. The evolution shows a move from concrete acts of mistreatment to more abstract, institutional, and systemic misuse. The etymology underscores both the ethical dimension and the structural capacity of abuse in different domains—personal, corporate, and governmental—while the plural form often signals recurring instances or types of misuse. Pronunciation has remained stable through history, with stress patterns preserved in both noun and verb forms across dialects.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "abuses" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "abuses"
-ses sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˈæ.bjuː.zɪz/ in US English and /əˈbjuː.zɪz/ in UK English. The noun stresses the first syllable AB-uses, while the verb stresses the second syllable a-BUSES. In careful speech, the initial vowel of the first syllable is a short “a” sound, the second syllable features a clear “bju” cluster (like “you” + “uh” blend), and the final syllable ends with a voiced z sound. Mouth position: place the tongue high in the front for the /æ/ or /ə/ depending on dialect, then transition to a rounded /bjuː/ sequence, finish with /zɪz/.
Common errors: 1) misplacing stress, saying a-BUSES instead of a-BUSES for verbs; 2) blending /bjuː/ too loosely, yielding a vague /bjuz/; 3) pronouncing final /ɪz/ as /ɪs/ or /əz/. Correction: keep /bjuː/ as a distinct consonant cluster with the /j/ intermediary, ensure the second syllable carries the stronger vocalic nucleus and ends with /z/ rather than a terminal /s/. Practice by isolating the /bjuː/ sequence and pausing before /zɪz/.
In US English, the noun AB-uses begins with a tense /æ/ and has a clearly audible /z/ ending; the verb a-BUSES features a reduced initial vowel /ə/ before the stressed /ˈbjuː.zɪz/. UK pronunciation leans toward /əˈbjuː.zɪz/ with less rhoticity in some dialects but still maintains the /bjuː/ cluster. Australian speakers typically retain a clear /ə/ or /æ/ depending on region, with a bright /juː/ in the /bjuː/ sequence and final /z/. Across these accents, the key differences are vowel quality and the initial vowel duration in the unstressed syllable.
It’s challenging due to the /bjuː/ consonant cluster linking a consonant to a long vowel sound and the final /zɪz/ ending. The diphthong /juː/ in the /bjuː/ sequence requires your tongue to move from a labial closure to a high back rounded vowel, while keeping the jaw stable. Additionally, the stress shift between noun and verb can trip non-native speakers when switching between AB-uses and a-BUSES, so maintain consistent syllable timing and a distinct /z/ at the end.
A unique query is: Does 'abuses' ever reduce the second syllable in rapid speech? In careful speech, the second syllable a-BUSES has full /ˈbjuː.zɪz/ stress position, but in rapid speech some speakers reduce /ˈbjuː/ to a shorter form and may sound like /ˈæ.bjuzɪz/ or even /ˈæ.bʊzɪz/. However, properly enunciated form preserves the /bjuː/ cluster and the final /zɪz/, especially in formal or investigative contexts.
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