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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to attack
to abuse physically
if you maltreat the puppy, we will take it away immediately
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of maltreat
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
Lie number 2: Israel has been oppressing and maltreating Palestinians (and denying them a state) for 75 years.
—Efrem Sigel, New York Daily News, 25 Jan. 2024
In 2022, the World Health Organization estimated that 1 billion children were maltreated each year around the globe.
—Marc D. Hauser, TIME, 3 Apr. 2024
The revelations come after years of intense scrutiny of Texas’ child welfare system, which included reports by blue-ribbon panels, a state district judge in Travis County and a state comptroller citing weak protection of youngsters maltreated by birth families and then roughly handled by the state.
—Allie Morris, Dallas News, 30 June 2023
The family is where you are first misjudged, maltreated, belittled, lied to and beaten—or not.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 6 June 2023
Coincidentally, a landmark incident that led to the death of a Nigerian happened in 2009 in Guangzhou, where Nigerians were recently maltreated.
—Abdul-Gafar Tobi Oshodi, Quartz Africa, 31 May 2020
Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated.
—Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017
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
Lie number 2: Israel has been oppressing and maltreating Palestinians (and denying them a state) for 75 years.
—Efrem Sigel, New York Daily News, 25 Jan. 2024
In 2022, the World Health Organization estimated that 1 billion children were maltreated each year around the globe.
—Marc D. Hauser, TIME, 3 Apr. 2024
The revelations come after years of intense scrutiny of Texas’ child welfare system, which included reports by blue-ribbon panels, a state district judge in Travis County and a state comptroller citing weak protection of youngsters maltreated by birth families and then roughly handled by the state.
—Allie Morris, Dallas News, 30 June 2023
The family is where you are first misjudged, maltreated, belittled, lied to and beaten—or not.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 6 June 2023
Coincidentally, a landmark incident that led to the death of a Nigerian happened in 2009 in Guangzhou, where Nigerians were recently maltreated.
—Abdul-Gafar Tobi Oshodi, Quartz Africa, 31 May 2020
Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated.
—Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maltreat
Verb
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But even more terrifying than the guard dogs were those abused by local miscreants that trained dogs to fight.—
Thomas Cangelosi,
Hartford Courant,
27 June 2025
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There’s a deep history of the citizens getting abused by the police and corrupt government, but also of the people protesting against that.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Boone acknowledged that location will be key for Stroman, who can no longer attack hitters head-on at this stage of his career.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
28 June 2025
-
The wild and ugly scenes saw rioters attack law enforcement with rocks and Molotov cocktails while others burned vehicles and other property.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
Cameras are expected to return to Broward County’s special-needs classrooms to help parents determine whether their child may have been abused or mistreated at school.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
26 June 2025
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The Russian leader would be the cleaning lady who was overlooked and mistreated by the scientists in the good old days but who, uh, showed those silly male scientists who the real boss was when the zombies showed up.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2025
Verb
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Anyone who has seen the video knows that he was fully handcuffed after having been manhandled to the ground.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
12 June 2025
-
Federal agents manhandled him out of the room, shoved him down onto his knees and handcuffed him.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2025
Verb
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In the extreme, influencers are building social-media empires by bullying women into cutting calories and exercising for hours a day.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
25 June 2025
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One more user reminded viewers to learn from the online bullying fellow islander Huda Mustafa, a 24-year-old from Raleigh, North Carolina, faced earlier in the season.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Matteo is one part of what Sandoval calls the best lineout and maul in the country, giving credit to coach Ethan Willis.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 June 2025
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The Tigers obliterated the Red Sox in a 14-2 rout, mauling Tanner Houck for 11 runs in 2.1 innings in one of the worst starts by any starting pitcher in the majors so far this year.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
13 May 2025
Verb
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Clark has been injured and has struggled lately, going just 13-of-47 from three-point territory in her last three games and missing six of the Indiana Fever's 16 games this season.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
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At least 968 civilians were killed and over 4,800 injured.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
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After ambushing a group of pink guards in the quarters, the rebels, armed with guns, made their way to the colorful stairwells.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
People.com,
27 June 2025
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When young Litha is introduced to the magic of a game reserve by the last remaining ranger, they are ambushed by poachers.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maltreat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maltreat. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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