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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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
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
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Maxwell’s father, Robert, was a newspaper mogul with a mean streak who, Maxwell has said, physically abused her as a kid.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2026
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Hemani's lawyers also reject the government's attempt to liken laws disarming habitual drunkards to the law disarming drug users, arguing that those early restrictions covered only people who regularly abused alcohol, not all those who drink.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Despite his status as a transfer, Dent mistreated UCLA’s rival from the jump.—
Aaron Heisen,
Oc Register,
25 Feb. 2026
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Several cases involve force and abuse The AP’s review found a pattern of charges involving ICE employees and contractors who mistreated vulnerable people in their care.—
Ryan J. Foley,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Social media can’t replace offline resources for children who are being maltreated.—
Laura Schwab Reese,
The Conversation,
2 Sep. 2025
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One to One concert the duo organized as a response to Geraldo Rivera’s truly shocking exposé of the Willowbrook institution, where children with disabilities were horrifically maltreated and abused.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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There was a natural legacy to build on in Detroit—not only the Bad Boys of the nineteen-eighties and early nineties but also the bullying team that won the title in 2004.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
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Weinstein and his lawyers argued that the retrial verdict was tainted by infighting and bullying among jurors.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One of them was a person whose eight-month-old baby was tortured in front of his eyes.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
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Crackdowns against the protesters killed hundreds, and hundreds more were arrested amid reports of detainees tortured to death or raped in prison.—
Lee Keath,
Fortune,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ill-treat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-treat. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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