treat

1 of 2

verb

treated; treating; treats

transitive verb

1
a
: to deal with in speech or writing : expound
b
: to present or represent artistically
c
: to deal with : handle
food is plentiful and treated with imaginationCecil Beaton
2
a
: to bear oneself toward : use
treat a horse cruelly
b
: to regard and deal with in a specified manner
usually used with as
treat the matter as confidential
3
a
: to provide with free food, drink, or entertainment
they treated us to lunch
b
: to provide with enjoyment or gratification
4
: to care for or deal with medically or surgically
treat a disease
5
: to act upon with some agent especially to improve or alter
treat a metal with acid

intransitive verb

1
: to pay another's expenses (as for a meal or drink) especially as a compliment or as an expression of regard or friendship
2
: to discuss terms of accommodation or settlement : negotiate
3
: to deal with a matter especially in writing : discourse
usually used with of
a book treating of conservation
treater noun

treat

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: the act of providing another with free food, drink, or entertainment
dinner will be my treat
b
: an entertainment given without expense to those invited
2
: an especially unexpected source of joy, delight, or amusement
seeing her again was a treat

Examples of treat in a Sentence

Verb The author treats this issue in the next chapter. This situation must be treated with great care. I try to treat everyone equally. She treats the horse cruelly. They treated me like a member of their family. I was treated like a queen. My parents still treat me like a child. Try to treat everyone as an equal. Young people should always treat their elders with respect. Let's go out to dinner. I'll treat. Noun We took the kids to the water park as a special treat. cookies and other tasty treats She rewarded the dog with a treat.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Currently, doctors are only treating the symptoms, rather than offering a cure. Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 White Bear Lake singer/songwriter Katy Vernon performed at KJ’s a handful of times and said the owners were very supportive to musicians, treated them well and tried to do interesting and new things in the space. Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 11 Mar. 2024 She’s been the subject of numerous films — some empathetic (My Week With Marilyn); some wretchedly provocative (Blonde) — that treat her as a victim. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024 Grey herons, tawny owls, bats, seagulls, groundhogs, badgers, rabbits and even the occasional fox or boar from the suburbs have been treated at the hospital. Jess McHugh, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Why are the Dodgers treating their superstar like a safety net? Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Finding doctors while a patient on Medicaid and Medicare is challenging enough—then to be treated differently is unacceptable. Pamela Appea, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024 On the other hand, back in the ‘90s in Chile, I was treated differently for having lived in the U.S., and for fluently speaking English without an accent. Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 Developing a hydrogel based on hyaluronic acid that responds to inflammation is a promising approach for treating retinitis pigmentosa. William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
Noun
Some hotels are welcoming pups, too, offering up doggy bathrobes and treats. Sydney Page, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Krispy Kreme has just launched their own lucky spread of St. Patty’s Day treats. Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2024 Enjoy a Green Fest Block Party featuring live Irish bands and dancing, indoor and outdoor spaces, three bars, Irish dancing, a Hungry Leprechaun food truck and other Irish sweets and treats. Brittany Delay, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Other brands in the Caravan portfolio include Hai, which specializes in smart shower systems, and Love, Nala, a line of premium cat food, treats and supplements. Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 Water bowls and treats are also available for pups. Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024 Made entirely of solid snow and ice there are ice sculptures, snowy vaults, and frozen treats to sip and eat. Miriam Porter, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 When they’re finished with their treat, open the crate door. Lisa Bloch, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2024 The actress treated her daughters Mae James, 2½, Banks Violet, 5, and 98 of their friends to an elegant tea party filled with costumes and treats. Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'treat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English treten, from Anglo-French treter, traiter, traitier, from Latin tractare to drag about, handle, deal with, frequentative of trahere to drag, pull

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Noun

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of treat was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near treat

Cite this Entry

“Treat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/treat. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

treat

1 of 2 verb
1
: to discuss terms of agreement with : negotiate
treat with the enemy
2
a
: to have as a subject especially in writing
a book treating of crime
b
: to deal with : handle
roses must be treated with care
3
a
: to pay for another's food or entertainment
I'm treating tonight
b
: to provide with free food, entertainment, or enjoyment
let me treat you with lunch
4
: to handle, use, or act toward in a usually stated way
treat a horse cruelly
treat this as top secret
5
: to give medical or surgical care to
treat a patient
treat a cold
6
: to subject to some action or process to bring about a desired result
treat a metal with acid

treat

2 of 2 noun
1
: an entertainment given without expense to those invited
2
: a usually unexpected or unusual source of pleasure or amusement

Medical Definition

treat

transitive verb
: to care for or deal with medically or surgically : deal with by medical or surgical means
treated their diseases
treats a patient

More from Merriam-Webster on treat

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