Synonyms of maltreat

maltreat

verb

ˌmal-ˈtrēt 

1

as in to abuse

to inflict physical or emotional harm upon

a manager fired for maltreating the staff with needless insults

a home for children who have been deprived and maltreated

Synonyms & Similar Words

• abuse
• mistreat
• bully
• torture
• ill-treat
• injure
• brutalize
• oppress
• manhandle
• misuse
• ill-use
• violate
• persecute
• hurt
• take apart
• mishandle
• molest
• harass
• torment
• mess over
• harm
• victimize
• outrage
• kick around
• work (over)
• wrong
• beat (up)
• rough (up)
• sandbag
• burn
• mess (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• foster
• care (for)
• nurture
• cherish
• baby
• gratify
• indulge
• cater (to)
• favor
• spoil
• humor
• pamper
• coddle
• mollycoddle

2

as in to attack

to abuse physically

if you maltreat the puppy, we will take it away immediately

Synonyms & Similar Words

• abuse
• attack
• manhandle
• maul
• ambush
• injure
• rough (up)
• torture
• mishandle
• beat
• mistreat
• hurt
• wound
• ill-treat
• persecute
• harm
• wrestle
• slap
• misuse
• lick
• pummel
• oppress
• batter
• ill-use
• fight
• wrong
• assail
• knock
• thrash
• buffet
• lambaste
• torment
• hit
• bash
• drub
• pound
• roughhouse
• jump
• clobber
• pommel
• gang up (on)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pet
• caress
• fondle
• pamper
• coddle
• foster
• care (for)
• nurture
• mollycoddle

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of maltreat

Dependency courts most often involve children who have been removed from parents because they were neglected, abandoned or maltreated. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 June 2026

There are bosses in companies that maltreat their workers globally. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026

Many maltreating parents struggle with chronic conditions that start well before their first child and will impede their capacity to provide safe and appropriate care indefinitely. — Sarah A. Font, Chicago Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026

Canadian researchers found that older adults who were maltreated as children may face a significantly higher risk of cancer decades later. — Rob Williams, EverydayHealth.com, 22 Apr. 2026

The Adams County Health and Human Services Department’s initial assessment indicated that the infant was maltreated, though a final autopsy report is still pending, TMZ reported. — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2026

Social media can’t replace offline resources for children who are being maltreated. — Laura Schwab Reese, The Conversation, 2 Sep. 2025

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

Even the first stage of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine - on the pretext of protecting Russian speakers being maltreated - parallels Hitler’s sending shock troops into Czechoslovakia to purportedly safeguard German speakers along the Czech borderlands. — Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024