--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: emotional abuse is much more than verbal…" description: "\"“emotional abuse is much more than verbal abuse. Emotional abuse can be defined as any nonphysical behavior that is designed to control, intimidate, su..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/beverly-engel-20203_abuse_emotional-abuse-is-much-more-than-verbal_1276995.jpg" --- # emotional abuse is much more than verbal abuse. Emotional… ![“emotional abuse is much more than verbal abuse. Emotional abuse can be defined as any nonphysical behavior that is designed to control, intimidate, subjugate, demean, punish, or isolate another person through the use of degradation, humiliation, or fear.” quote by Beverly Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/beverly-engel-20203_abuse_emotional-abuse-is-much-more-than-verbal_1276995.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/beverly-engel-20203_abuse_emotional-abuse-is-much-more-than-verbal_1276995.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/beverly-engel-20203_abuse_emotional-abuse-is-much-more-than-verbal_1276995.jpg) > ““emotional abuse is much more than verbal abuse. Emotional abuse can be defined as any nonphysical behavior that is designed to control, intimidate, subjugate, demean, punish, or isolate another person through the use of degradation, humiliation, or fear.”” [Beverly Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-engel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emotional abuse involves non‑physical actions aimed at controlling, humiliating, or isolating a person, going beyond mere words. **In simple terms:** Non‑physical control and humiliation. Key Takeaway Recognize and address non‑physical abuse. Themes abuse control psychology Mood serious concerned Type educational warning When to use this quote - relationships - workplace - family - online interactions Key Concepts power dynamics psychological harm Questions to Reflect On - How can you identify non‑physical abuse? - What steps can protect victims? A Different Perspective Addressing emotional abuse often requires confronting subtle, covert behaviors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Emotional abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional-abuse/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Verbal abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/verbal-abuse/) ## Related quotes > [“loss of self-esteem Beverly Engel, in The Emotionally Abused Woman (1990), describes the effect of emotional abuse on self-esteem: Emotional abuse cuts to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mason/loss-of-self-esteem-beverly-engel-in-the-emotionally-abused-woman/) [Paul Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mason/) > [“Many people wonder how psychological abuse and emotional abuse differ. Are they perhaps the same thing? For me, they are two distinctly different forms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-thomas/many-people-wonder-how-psychological-abuse-and-emotional-abuse-differ/) [Shannon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-thomas/) > [Emotional abuse is any type of abuse that is not physical in nature. It can include everything from verbal abuse to the silent treatment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-engel/emotional-abuse-is-any-type-of-abuse-that-is-not-physical-in-nature/) [Beverly Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-engel/) > [“The symptoms of abuse are there, and the woman usually sees them: the escalating frequency of put-downs. Early generosity turning more and more to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/the-symptoms-of-abuse-are-there-and-the-woman-usually-sees-them-the/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [The central attitudes driving the Water Torturer are: You are crazy. You fly off the handle over nothing. I can easily convince other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/the-central-attitudes-driving-the-water-torturer-are-you-are-crazy/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [“When a man’s face contorts in bitterness and hatred, he looks a little insane. When his mood changes from elated to assaultive in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/when-a-man-s-face-contorts-in-bitterness-and-hatred-he-looks-a-little/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [“The central attitudes driving Mr. Right are: You should be in awe of my intelligence and should look up to me intellectually. I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/the-central-attitudes-driving-mr-right-are-you-should-be-in-awe-of-my/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [“The only person that deserves a special place in your life is someone that never made you feel like you were an option in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-only-person-that-deserves-a-special-place-in-your-life-is-someone/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“There certainly are some women who treat their male partners badly, berating them, calling them names, attempting to control them. The negative impact on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/there-certainly-are-some-women-who-treat-their-male-partners-badly/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [“The fact of the matter is, if you haven’t been in an abusive relationship, you don’t really know what the experience is like. Furthermore,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/the-fact-of-the-matter-is-if-you-haven-t-been-in-an-abusive/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“The scars from mental cruelty can be as deep and long-lasting as wounds from punches or slaps but are often not as obvious. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/the-scars-from-mental-cruelty-can-be-as-deep-and-long-lasting-as/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [“If a normally kind, agreeable person makes an enemy of you, you ought to ask yourself why.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-rachelle/if-a-normally-kind-agreeable-person-makes-an-enemy-of-you-you-ought/) [Joyce Rachelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-rachelle/) > [“Outside of my professional life, I have known many couples over the years who had passion and electricity between them and who treated each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/outside-of-my-professional-life-i-have-known-many-couples-over-the/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [Screaming at children over their grades, especially to the point of the child's tears, is child abuse, pure and simple. It's not funny and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/screaming-at-children-over-their-grades-especially-to-the-point-of/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [Critical words to a child are as painful and damaging as being physically hit. They are verbal slaps in the face. Usually, critical words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-engel/critical-words-to-a-child-are-as-painful-and-damaging-as-being/) [Beverly Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-engel/) ## More by Beverly Engel > [It is far more important to know myself and take care of myself than it is to look good to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-engel/it-is-far-more-important-to-know-myself-and-take-care-of-myself-than/) [Beverly Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-engel/) > [“There came a time in my life when I had to admit to myself that I have some very clear narcissistic tendencies. 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Many will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-engel/many-neglected-and-abused-children-grow-up-to-be-adults-who-are/) [Beverly Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-engel/) > [“This is particularly true of those who "love too much" and those who tend to lose themselves in their relationships. Sometimes our love becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-engel/this-is-particularly-true-of-those-who-love-too-much-and-those-who/) [Beverly Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-engel/) > [Critical words to a child are as painful and damaging as being physically hit. They are verbal slaps in the face. Usually, critical words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-engel/critical-words-to-a-child-are-as-painful-and-damaging-as-being/) [Beverly Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-engel/) > [Positive and powerful: Sometimes people won't like me, and it's okay. Positive and powerful: I like me, and that's all that matters. Positive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-engel/positive-and-powerful-sometimes-people-won-t-like-me-and-it-s-okay/) [Beverly Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-engel/) > [There are many types of emotional abuse but most is done in an attempt to control or subjugate another person. Emotional abuse is like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-engel/there-are-many-types-of-emotional-abuse-but-most-is-done-in-an/) [Beverly Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-engel/) > [“Why Is It So Important to Remember? When you were abused, those around you acted as if it weren’t happening. Since no one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-engel/why-is-it-so-important-to-remember-when-you-were-abused-those-around/) [Beverly Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-engel/) > [Accepting that your imperfections and so-called negative attributes are part of what makes you unique will help you to stop continually trying to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-engel/accepting-that-your-imperfections-and-so-called-negative-attributes/) [Beverly Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-engel/) > [“A meaningful apology is one that communicates three R's: regret, responsibility, and remedy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-engel/a-meaningful-apology-is-one-that-communicates-three-r-s-regret/) [Beverly Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-engel/) [Explore all 31 Beverly Engel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-engel/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“emotional abuse is much more than verbal abuse. 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