as in abused
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
anyone who ill-treats their pets should not be allowed to have any
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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-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
-
None of those mothers were found to have abused or neglected their children.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
10 June 2026
-
Moreover, the states often abused their authority, both over their own citizens and with regard to each other.—
Jordan Cash,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
An internal report alleges Riverside code officers mistreated street vendors for years.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
-
This time Hilton was speaking in support of two families who filed lawsuits Monday alleging that their children were mistreated at Provo Canyon School, the same facility where Hilton spent almost a year in the late 1990s.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
The Togolese activist began organizing as a teenager after her father was arrested and tortured, and later helped lead protests against a dictatorship that responded with arrests, exile, intimidation and internet shutdowns.—
Susie Violet Ward,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2026
-
Armand tortured and planned to drain Daniel, but Louis stepped in to save him.—
Tiffany Kelly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
In the docuseries, Michaels' former costar, Bob Harper, and others affiliated with the reality show, accused Michaels of unethical behavior, such as having bullied contestants, given them caffeine pills in an effort to lose weight faster, and restricting their calories to unsafe levels.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
26 Aug. 2025
-
Cook said last week she wouldn’t be bullied into stepping down and vowed to rebut the accusations.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
26 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ill-treated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-treated. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
