maltreated 1 of 2

adjective

as in abused

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maltreated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of maltreat
1
as in bullied
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacked
to abuse physically if you maltreat the puppy, we will take it away immediately

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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 maltreated
Verb
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maltreated
  1. abused
  2. bullied
  3. attacked
  4. tortured
  5. mauled
  6. mistreated
  7. manhandled
  8. ambushed
Adjective
  • At the end of the poem, Odysseus transforms from an abused guest to a murderous host, neither of which is ideal.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 20 July 2026
  • Sara O’Meara is a cofounder and CEO of Childhelp, a nonprofit dedicated to serving the needs of abused, neglected and at-risk children.
    — Sara O'Meara, Baltimore Sun, 26 June 2026
Definition of abused
Verb
  • The Fire turned up the pressure defensively in the paint and consistently bullied the Dream out of it.
    — Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • View this post on Instagram Priscilla Villanueva said her son, Dakota Cabrera, has been bullied for wearing his hair in a braid, but seeing Pete do the same gives him hope.
    — Marissa Armas, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of bullied
Verb
  • For example, ExploitGym, a cybersecurity benchmark that was at the center of the July incident in which OpenAI’s models went rogue and attacked the company Hugging Face, was created in 2026.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • In the wake of Thursday’s ruling, a chorus of Missouri Republicans have attacked the court over its decision.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of attacked
Verb
  • Over the course of about three days, Manson's followers tortured Hinman.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The former beauty queen’s family claim that she was tortured by the suspects over dowry demands, reported the BBC.
    — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of tortured
Verb
  • On a Mojave Desert ranch, Newberry Springs official Mike Matson’s ostriches have been mauled by dogs and shot.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • And statistically, your chances of getting jumped and mauled by a bear are so low compared to any other real danger in the backcountry.
    — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of mauled
Verb
  • The other has been dismissed or mistreated in a clinic before, and reads the same sentence as confirmation that they were not told the whole story the first time.
    — Aleeza Gerstein, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Creative labor certainly seems to be disappearing as studios experiment with generative AI, and artists and craftspeople are rightly afraid of being further mistreated, devalued, or replaced.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of mistreated
Verb
  • New England lost in demoralizing fashion to the Seahawks last February, 29-13, as the Seattle defense manhandled the Patriots’ offense.
    — Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
  • During this stretch, the Colts will face three AFC opponents, including the Steelers, who manhandled them last year and forced Jones to commit a career-high five turnovers in a loss.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Definition of manhandled
Verb
  • The same 1-2 punch that ambushed Cambridge with 52 points in the Dave Hunter + Corky Kell Classic beat South Gwinnett on Friday 55-20.
    — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Belle and Cal were ambushed in the finale and shot at by gunmen who were later revealed to be hired by Tom Wheeler, and the episode ended without confirming either of their fates.
    — Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of ambushed

Browse Nearby Words

maltreat
maltreated
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Cite this Entry

“Maltreated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maltreated. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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