The difference between Abuse and Malign

When used as verbs, abuse means to put to a wrong use, whereas malign means to make defamatory statements about.


Abuse is also noun with the meaning: improper treatment or usage.

Malign is also adjective with the meaning: evil or malignant in disposition, nature, intent or influence.

check bellow for the other definitions of Abuse and Malign

  1. Abuse as a noun:

    Improper treatment or usage; application to a wrong or bad purpose; an unjust, corrupt or wrongful practice or custom.

    Examples:

    "All abuse, whether physical, verbal, psychological or sexual, is bad."

  2. Abuse as a noun:

    Misuse; improper use; perversion.

  3. Abuse as a noun (obsolete):

    A delusion; an imposture; misrepresentation; deception.

  4. Abuse as a noun (dated, _, outside of, _, Africa):

    Coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; language that unjustly or angrily vilifies.

  5. Abuse as a noun (now, rare):

      Catachresis.

  6. Abuse as a noun:

    Physical maltreatment; injury; cruel treatment.

  7. Abuse as a noun:

    Violation; defilement; rape; forcing of undesired sexual activity by one person on another, often on a repeated basis.

  1. Abuse as a verb (transitive):

    To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to use improperly; to misuse; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert

    Examples:

    "He abused his authority."

  2. Abuse as a verb (transitive):

    To injure; to maltreat; to hurt; to treat with cruelty, especially repeatedly.

  3. Abuse as a verb (transitive, dated, _, outside of, _, Africa):

    To attack with coarse language; to insult; to revile; malign; to speak in an offensive manner to or about someone; to disparage.

  4. Abuse as a verb (transitive):

    To imbibe a drug for a purpose other than it was intended; to intentionally take more of a drug than was prescribed for recreational reasons; to take illegal drugs habitually.

  5. Abuse as a verb (transitive, archaic):

    To violate; defile; to rape.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Spenser"

  6. Abuse as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    Misrepresent; adulterate.

  7. Abuse as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To deceive; to trick; to impose on; misuse the confidence of.

  8. Abuse as a verb (transitive, obsolete, Scotland):

    Disuse.

  1. Malign as an adjective:

    evil or malignant in disposition, nature, intent or influence.

  2. Malign as an adjective:

    malevolent.

  3. Malign as an adjective (oncology):

    malignant

    Examples:

    "a malign ulcer"

    "rfquotek Francis Bacon"

  1. Malign as a verb (transitive):

    To make defamatory statements about; to slander or traduce.

  2. Malign as a verb (transitive, archaic):

    To treat with malice; to show hatred toward; to abuse; to wrong.