as in abused
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-treated
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
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
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-treated
Verb
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Kaley denied being abused or neglected, though Meta’s attorneys did show some Instagram posts about her mother screaming at her.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
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Leah Juliett, also a survivor, still remembers the scarlet lockers at Wolcott High School where she was abused.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Since his release, Hernandez has claimed he was severely mistreated at the maximum security detention center.—
Carlos De Loera,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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Surveys have found that significant numbers of trans workers report being fired, denied promotions, or mistreated on the job because of their gender identity, Orr said, contributing to broader economic disparities within the trans community.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Two others who authorities say have tortured their children await their courtroom fates after being hit with dozens of abuse counts.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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Schiller was tortured endlessly.—
Troy Roberts,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When these kids finally managed to attend classes, they were beaten and bullied by classmates.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Pitchfork,
4 Apr. 2026
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Hernandez was emphatic that nobody in her family bullied Rabell, who prior to landing at Hernandez’s home had been a client of DCF’s Adult Protective Services program.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ill-treated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-treated. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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