abused

adj. describes a person or animal that has been treated cruelly or violently over a long time.

adj. having been subjected to physical, emotional, or sexual maltreatment, often within a domestic or institutional context.

“The charity works hard to find new homes for abused dogs and cats.”

“The social worker specialised in providing therapeutic support for abused children who had been removed from high-risk domestic environments.”

adj. describes something that has been used too much or in the wrong way.

adj. subjected to excessive or improper use; often applied to substances, systems, or linguistic terms.

“The word 'genius' is so abused today that it has lost its real meaning.”

“The report highlighted how the emergency funding was abused by several departments to cover unrelated administrative deficits.”

Formal

adj. tricked or lied to by someone.

adj. pertaining to a state of being deluded or deceived by false appearances or lies.

“The poor man was abused by a false promise of gold.”

“In the classic play, the protagonist remains tragically abused by his rival's clever lies until the final act.”

Archaic · Literary