as in abused
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of maltreated
Laura Schwab Reese, The Conversation, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
Adjective
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Help for abused animals gets national recognition From backyard breeders to dog-fighting rings, smaller law enforcement agencies can quickly become overwhelmed when responding to major animal hoarding and abuse cases.—
Laura L. Davis,
Nashville Tennessean,
25 Nov. 2025
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This trashy horror-thriller centers on an abused boy (Max Thieriot) who grows up to wreak havoc on a suburban town and the teenager (Lawrence) who cares about him.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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For the second game running, Omari Hutchinson was too easily bullied off the ball in a dangerous area.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
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By the time Zoe turns up dead, stabbed to death in her bathtub, Anna begins to put the pieces together that Lexi, her work nemesis, is actually Catherine—the girl her friends had bullied at school.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Crabtree stopped, turned, attacked the ball and snagged it.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Nelson claimed to police that the man attacked her and their son after opening the car door.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The attorneys for the Department of Justice argued that the preliminary injunction blocking Abrego Garcia’s removal to Liberia should be dissolved because the government received assurances from the government of the West African country that he will not be persecuted or tortured.—
Laura Romero,
ABC News,
8 Nov. 2025
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Of the few that have arrived in what Saraf describes as a small agricultural town, many have reported being beaten and tortured by different militia groups stationed along the treacherous route between El Fasher and Tawila.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In September, a 71-year-old woman was mauled to death by dogs in Miami Gardens, and a dog killed a 5-month-old infant near Daytona Beach in July.—
Nicole R. Kurtz,
Miami Herald,
18 Dec. 2025
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The botanical zoo, which is home to hundreds of animal species, confirmed Machado, 19, was mauled to death in a news release shared on Instagram.—
Latoya Gayle,
PEOPLE,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
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On March 30, 2023, Howe conducted a traffic stop and arrested Shyla Wolf, who later complained to the police chief that she was mistreated by Howe.—
Clark Kauffman,
Des Moines Register,
8 Jan. 2026
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In a little over four months in prison, he's already filed official complaints claiming he's been mistreated, harassed and threatened by his fellow inmates.—
Michael Ruiz , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
6 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Workers described incidents of verbal and physical abuse, including reports from women workers who said they had been manhandled and subjected to obscene remarks and threats.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
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Vancouver completely manhandled a similarly representative Flames lineup, ultimately winning 8-1.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In 2010, while covering an event in Lara, a western state that has long been a government stronghold, he and several fellow journalists were ambushed by a mob of militants loyal to the regime.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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And after a Washington woman was repeatedly ambushed by an owl while walking in the woods near her house in 2022, biologists report that the occurrence is becoming more frequent.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maltreated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maltreated. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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