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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maltreat
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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maltreat
Verb
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The Federal Trade Commission, 18 states and Puerto Rico have accused the company of abusing its market position to inflate prices on other online retail platforms, overcharge sellers and stifle competition.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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The foster parents and their adult daughter pleaded guilty to abusing children in their care.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Clayton Peavey, 31, used a concrete brick to attack a Chick-fil-A employee in March, leaving her with several gashes on her head and requiring stitches.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2026
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Mendoza is accurate to all three levels of the field and has developed a great understanding of when and where to attack down the field.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Last year, a Dane County judge appointed a special prosecutor to investigate Ridglan Farms after former employees testified that dogs were being mistreated, including having eye surgeries performed on them without general anesthesia.—
Quinn Clark,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
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Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, tax collector Tina Koren is facing criminal charges for allegedly using her role to harass and mistreat her neighbors, officials said Wednesday.—
Terra Sullivan,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Then, the family says two others broke through a small window, manhandled their dogs and stole priceless mementos handed down through their family over generations, along with the cash.—
Nicole Comstock,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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Did something get squashed en route, then manhandled by Kennedy?—
Erin Vanderhoof,
Vanity Fair,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On an afternoon Brandt Clarke, Adrian Kempe and Drew Doughty took turns trying to bully the Avalanche, Colorado reached around and gave the Kings a Wedgie.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
20 Apr. 2026
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People just want to bully and get the likes and say the rage bait comment.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Most occur as the closing credits roll, whether pretending to be viciously mauled by a bear or, even more unnervingly, clearly superimposing his face onto the body of a performing cellist.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
22 Apr. 2026
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Bain would immediately give the Dolphins an elite, powerful edge defender who mauls blockers in front of him and fits the 4-3 base defense coach Jeff Hafley wants to play as a traditional defensive end.—
Kenny Rosarion,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The violence then shifted to Brookhaven, where Mathews was ambushed and shot several times outside a business center.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
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Some residents say frustrations over the guard eased after two members of the West Virginia contingent were ambushed just blocks from the White House, killing Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and severely injuring her colleague.—
Gary Fields,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The shootings took place at multiple locations early Sunday morning, leaving eight children dead, two adult women wounded -- the mothers of his children -- and another woman and child injured.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Apr. 2026
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Police said that the child who was attacked was injured and was taken to UPMC Children's Hospital for treatment.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maltreat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maltreat. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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