ILL-TREAT Synonyms: 45 Similar and Opposite Words

ill-treat

verb

ˈil-ˈtrēt

Definition of ill-treat

as in to abuse

to inflict physical or emotional harm upon anyone who ill-treats their pets should not be allowed to have any

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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.

Recent Examples of ill-treat 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-treat

Verb

Jarrett, the elder brother, was eventually taken in by a man who later abused him, a victimizer who then set his sights on Baylon.

— Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026
Market power can be abused, and a transaction involving companies this significant deserves careful regulatory scrutiny.

— Cory Jacobson, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of abuse

Verb

Trump has all but severed America’s system of alliances, mocked and bullied Ukraine’s president, and showered praise upon Kim Jong Un.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
Bullying and assault allegations In 2018, according to court documents, while still in elementary school, Austin Metcalf and his brother were accused of bullying and assaulting a female, which led to Austin Metcalf's arrest.

— J.D. Miles, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of bully

Verb

The Assad regime fell in 2024, but the bodies of Khalil’s two friends were never recovered; their families assumed that they had been tortured, killed, and buried in a mass grave.

— Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
One of Nader’s grandsons, Shah Rukh, was tortured by a greedy court eunuch named Agha Muhammad to force him to reveal the location of the invaluable diamond.

— Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of torture

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ill-tempered

ill-treat

ill-treated

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“Ill-treat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-treat. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of ill-treat

verb

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