mistreat

verb

mis·​treat ˌmis-ˈtrēt How to pronounce mistreat (audio)
mistreated; mistreating; mistreats

transitive verb

: to treat badly : abuse
mistreatment noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In prison, she was often severely mistreated. Michael Collins, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025 One said no one mistreated him. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025 In the last decade, a spate of pop culture examining how the media mistreated famous women in the 1990s and 2000s has recontextualized their stories. Scarlett Harris, Time, 9 Oct. 2025 Israel has strongly denied allegations of mistreating the group. Catherine Nicholls, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mistreat

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mistreat was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Mistreat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mistreat. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

mistreat

verb
mis·​treat (ˈ)mis-ˈtrēt How to pronounce mistreat (audio)
: to treat badly : abuse
mistreatment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on mistreat

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