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

The scandal led to Paterno’s firing, and the university paid more than $100 million to people who said they were abused by Sandusky.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Some critics report being verbally abused, doxxed, and even threatened with rape and death by BJP supporters.

— Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of abuse

Verb

Even more consequentially, some jihadi groups turned Muslim publics against them by mistreating Muslim civilians.

— Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2026
The other has been dismissed or mistreated in a clinic before, and reads the same sentence as confirmation that they were not told the whole story the first time.

— Aleeza Gerstein, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of mistreat

Verb

So much about the two circumstances is different, many of them instituted by Key because of losses like the one to Pitt (though that makes getting bullied by Colorado only more perplexing).

— Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Rudin had stepped away from producing in 2021, after a Hollywood Reporter story detailed multiple claims from Rudin’s former employees of bullying and verbal abuse as well as throwing objects at staff.

— Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of bully

Verb

Ontario County First Assistant District Attorney James Nobles told the court that Arzuaga was at the center of the group accused of torturing Nordquist to death.

— Madison Scott, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
Before long, much of the world’s empathy for America, which had been widespread in the wake of the attacks, dissipated, facilitated by the emergence of photos showing US soldiers abusing and torturing Iraqi detainees at the Abu Ghraib facility.

— David Friend, Vanity Fair, 10 Sep. 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 15 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of ill-treat

verb

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