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
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
Tomris Laffly, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-treat
Verb
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More importantly, Penske also describes this dynamic as antitrust behavior from a company abusing what the federal government has already described as Google’s monopoly status in the realm of Internet search.—
Andy Meek,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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The biggest Flock controversy centers on allegations that law enforcement has abused the company’s surveillance network to target women, immigrants, and people engaging in legal activity outside their home states.—
Jennifer Jolly,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Victor’s own father is obsessed with legacy and perfection and mistreats his boy, and that cycle continues with Victor and the Creature.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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Newsrooms — like many other companies, amid a tight labor market and booming economy — responded with intense sympathy for junior employees who felt mistreated by managers and bullied by untouchable stars.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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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Friends of mine received unwanted explicit snaps from male peers, some were contacted by complete strangers, and many were bullied on the platform.—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
12 Sep. 2025
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His twin sister, Danielle, who is also autistic, was bullied by classmates and became suicidal.—
Fred Clasen-Kelly,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Consequently, the unit’s members film themselves torturing and executing Palestinians.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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The number paid respects to Matthew Shepard, a gay man who was tortured and killed because of his sexuality in 1998.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ill-treat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-treat. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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