abuser

/əˈbjuːzə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈbjuːzər/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈbyü-zər/ (ame, mw)

abuser — noun

  • abusersingular
  • abusersplural

1. a person who causes physical or emotional harm to someone they have power over,

1.名詞B2
釋義

a person who causes physical or emotional harm to someone they have power over, such as a partner, a child, or an elderly relative

例句

The children's father was convicted as a violent abuser after years of threats and beatings.

convicted as a violent abuser — legal context + modifier pattern

Aisha's neighbour turned out to be an abuser who mistreated his elderly mother for years.

abuser who mistreated — relative clause structure

同義詞
  • bully

    less severe — suggests intimidation rather than systematic cruelty or violence

  • perpetrator

    more neutral and legal in tone, broader in scope (any harmful act, not just abuse)

  • attacker

    focuses on physical violence, often single incidents rather than ongoing abuse

反義詞
  • protector

    someone who keeps others safe from harm

  • caregiver

    someone who provides care and support, the opposite of a harmful relationship

文法句型

modifier + abuser (e.g. child abuser, domestic abuser)

用法筆記

Often modified by a preceding noun that specifies the target (child abuser, domestic abuser, sexual abuser) or the nature of the abuse (violent abuser, serial abuser). Frequently appears in legal, social-work, and news reporting contexts.

常見錯誤

❌He was an abuser of his wife for ten years.
✅He was an abusive husband for ten years.
💡'abuser' is not followed by 'of' + person in standard English; use 'abusive' + role instead.
❌She is an abuser person.
✅She is an abusive person.
💡'abuser' is a noun, not an adjective; the adjectival form is 'abusive'.

2. a person who uses a substance, such as alcohol or drugs, in an excessive and dam

2.名詞B2
釋義

a person who uses a substance, such as alcohol or drugs, in an excessive and damaging way, or who exercises authority unfairly for personal gain

例句

The clinic offers treatment programmes for any drug abuser who wants to quit.

drug abuser — compound noun pattern

Mei Ling's uncle was a long-term alcohol abuser whose health had worsened badly.

long-term alcohol abuser — modifier + compound noun

同義詞
  • addict

    implies physical or psychological dependency on a substance, narrower than abuser who may not be dependent

  • misuser

    more formal and technical, less emotional weight

  • exploiter

    specifically for power or authority contexts, not used for substance abuse

反義詞
  • moderate user

    someone who uses a substance in controlled, non-harmful amounts

文法句型

modifier + abuser (e.g. drug abuser, alcohol abuser, power abuser)

用法筆記

Commonly followed by a modifier that specifies the substance or resource being misused (drug abuser, alcohol abuser, power abuser). In clinical settings, 'substance abuser' is a formal term; 'addict' is a different term that implies chemical dependency rather than harmful use patterns.

常見錯誤

❌He is an abuser of drugs.
✅He is a drug abuser.
💡English strongly prefers the modifier + noun structure over 'abuser of [thing]'.