domestic violence
noun
: violent or abusive behavior directed by one family or household member against another
He helped start Austin's Children's Advocacy Center, which works with abused kids, and a family-justice division of the D.A.'s office, which prosecutes those accused of domestic violence and helps their families get back to normal.—
John Cloud
John Clouda domestic violence hotline
In another disturbing trend, women are victims of domestic violence that spills into the workplace.—Sarah Henry
Sarah HenryExamples of domestic violence in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Deshawn Johnson, 26, was charged with pandering, pimping, human trafficking, domestic violence and making criminal threats.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024
She was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, failure to yield, vehicle theft, residential burglary, domestic violence, resisting arrest and committing a felony while on bail.
—Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 25 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for domestic violence 
Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024
She was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, failure to yield, vehicle theft, residential burglary, domestic violence, resisting arrest and committing a felony while on bail.
—Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 25 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for domestic violence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'domestic violence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near domestic violence
Cite this Entry
“Domestic violence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/domestic%20violence. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
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