Abusing is the act of using something (often a substance or power) in a way that causes harm, excessive harm, or misuse. In grammar, it also functions as the present participle of the verb abuse, describing ongoing or repeated improper action. The term carries strong negative connotations and is commonly linked to physical, verbal, or emotional misuse. The nuance hinges on intent, frequency, and the severity of the harm.
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US: pronounce as /əˈbjuː.zɪŋ/, with a clear /j/ after /b/. UK: /əˈbjuː.zɪŋ/ similar; ensure non-rhoticity affects only surrounding vowels, not the /juː/. AU: /əˈbjuː.zɪŋ/ with slightly broader vowel quality and a crisper /zɪŋ/. IPA references: US /əˈbjuː.zɪŋ/, UK /əˈbjuː.zɪŋ/, AU /əˈbjuː.zɪŋ/.
"- The coach warned that players were abusing their access to treatment facilities."
"- She admitted she was abusing alcohol and sought help."
"- They were accused of abusing their authority to suppress dissent."
"- The software was abusing system resources, causing crashes and slowdown."
Abusing derives from the verb abuse, formed from the Old French abuser (to use unjustly, to deceive) which itself comes from Latin abūtī, meaning to use up, consume, or employ. The prefix a- implies away or excess, intensifying the root name. In Middle English, abuse shifted toward mistreatment meanings and by the 15th century, it described improper use of substances, power, or language. Over time, “abusing” evolved to capture ongoing or habitual wrong acts, especially in social, legal, or moral contexts. The evolution mirrors changing attitudes toward authority, addiction, and harm, expanding from a general “to misuse” to specific patterns of harm (physical, verbal, emotional). First known uses appear in legal and religious texts addressing ethical breaches, with broader medical and social science usage emerging in the 19th and 20th centuries as data on addiction and abuse increased. By modern usage, “abusing” is commonly paired with substances, power, or people, highlighting ongoing harm and accountability.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "abusing" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "abusing" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "abusing"
-ing sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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US/UK/AU pronunciation is /əˈbjuː.zɪŋ/. The first syllable is unstressed (uh) and the second syllable carries primary stress: BYOO-zing. The middle vowel is a long
Common errors: (1) misplacing stress as a-ˈbyoo-sing instead of ə-ˈbjuː-zɪŋ, (2) reducing the /juː/ sequence to a simple /u/ or /j/ sound (e.g., /əˈbuːzɪn/), (3) voicing confusion in the final -ing; ensure the -ing is /-ɪŋ/ with a light, nasal ending. Focus on maintaining the /juː/ glide after /b/ and preserving the schwa in the first syllable.
US/UK/AU share /əˈbjuː.zɪŋ/ with slight differences: US tends to keep /juː/ as a smoother glide and slightly stronger rhotics in surrounding vowels; UK may have a crisper /ˈbjuː/ with less vocalic change; AU often aligns with UK but may include a more relaxed vowel quality and a broader /ɪŋ/ in the final syllable. Overall the central /bjuː/ and final /zɪŋ/ mirror across accents, with modest vowel coloration.
Key challenges include the /juː/ sequence after /b/, which requires a smooth palatal glide and a lifted middle of the tongue; the consonant cluster /bz/ in quick speech can blur into /bɹ/ or /bz/ ambiguity; and the final /ɪŋ/ must avoid a trailing /ŋ/ that hardens without a clear vowel preceding it. Practice targeting the middle vowel quality and the transition between /b/ and /juː/ to maintain clarity.
Is the stress location fixed in rapid speech? In careful speech, stress remains on the second syllable: a-BU-sing, but in very fast, connected speech some speakers reduce the second syllable and lightly emphasize the first, e.g., ə-byu-zɪŋ. For clarity, keep the primary stress on the second syllable in formal or semi-formal contexts to avoid ambiguity.
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