treat

1 of 2

verb

ˈtrēt 

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 imagination

—Cecil 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

Synonyms

Verb

• act (toward)
• be (to)
• deal (with)
• handle
• serve
• use

Noun

• delectation
• delight
• feast
• gas [slang]
• joy
• kick
• manna
• pleasure

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

Self Offense helps people identify subtle cues (e.g., saying ‘maybe’ or avoiding eye contact) and empowers them to treat those cues as legitimate expressions of self. —William Jones, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025

In medical settings, it's used to treat poisoning, overdoses, high cholesterol, hangovers, and upset stomach. —Ashley Wong, Health, 26 Apr. 2025

Noun

Get The Recipe Texas Sheet Cake Cookies Fans of Texas Sheet Cake will fall in love with this recipe, which turns the popular cake into bite-size treats. —Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2025

Gary can now play with him in the yard, with Sabie no longer wearing a muzzle and happy to be fed treats by his new friend, while remaining on a leash. —Mark Weinstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Apr. 2025

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

Phrases Containing treat

• a treat
• dutch treat
• heat-treat
• ill-treat
• looks a treat
• pre-treat
• stand treat
• treat (someone) like dirt
• trick or treat
• went down a treat
• worked a treat

Rhymes for treat

• beat
• beet
• bleat
• cheat
• cleat
• creat
• deet
• eat
• feat
• feet
• fleet
• greet

Kids Definition

treat

1 of 2 verb

ˈtrēt 

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

ˈtrēt 

: to care for or deal with medically or surgically : deal with by medical or surgical means

treated their diseases

treats a patient