ill-treated; ill-treating; ill-treats
: to treat cruelly or improperly : maltreat
could not abide someone ill-treating an animal
Examples of ill-treat in a Sentence
anyone who ill-treats their pets should not be allowed to have any
Recent Examples on the Web
Declarants describe detentions following their civil immigration arrests that deprived them of basic human dignity, including being ill-treated, with inadequate food and uncomfortable and crowded sleeping facilities, and being denied medical attention.
—
New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
But that shouldn’t, in my mind, make an excuse for ill-treating a patient.
—Jessica Schreifels, ProPublica, 26 Sep. 2025
There is a troubling suggestion of abuse, implying that Jack might have been ill-treated by his mom (and saved by Helen), rather than heartlessly abandoned.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
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New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
But that shouldn’t, in my mind, make an excuse for ill-treating a patient.
—Jessica Schreifels, ProPublica, 26 Sep. 2025
There is a troubling suggestion of abuse, implying that Jack might have been ill-treated by his mom (and saved by Helen), rather than heartlessly abandoned.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ill-treat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ill-treat. Accessed 12 Dec. 2025.
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