mistreat

verb

mis·​treat ˌmis-ˈtrēt 

mistreated; mistreating; mistreats

transitive verb

: to treat badly : abuse

mistreatment

ˌmis-ˈtrēt-mənt 

noun

Synonyms of mistreat

• abuse
• bully
• oppress

Examples of mistreat in a Sentence

They accuse him of mistreating his wife.

She claimed she had been mistreated by the police.

Recent Examples on the Web

For the first half of the episode, our pals at Price, Siffre & Associates are helping an East Coast firm with a class action lawsuit against WorkSource, an AI training company that has been skirting labor laws and mistreating their contractors. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026

Some federal judges have been accused of mistreating their clerks. — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026

Skipping handwashing stations, leaving dishes in hallways, and mistreating crew members can affect passenger health, safety, and comfort. — Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2026

The customer can challenge a decision without mistreating the person explaining it. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mistreat

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete

Kids Definition

mistreat

verb

mis·​treat (ˈ)mis-ˈtrēt 

: to treat badly : abuse

mistreatment

-mənt 

noun