# abusefully

CEFR C1 · Adverb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/abusefully
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

in a way that is cruel, unfair, or harmful. You use this to describe someone who treats others badly or uses power to hurt them.

For teachers: in a manner that is cruel, unjust, or harmful. Often describes the exercise of power or the treatment of a person or thing.

## Examples

- He treated his employees abusefully during the meeting.
- The manager was fired after being caught using his position to abusefully criticize his subordinates in public.
- The witness described how the defendant had abusefully manipulated the legal system to delay the trial for over a year, causing significant financial strain on the plaintiff.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.