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
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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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In other words, don’t count on class actions to rein in Administrations bent on abusing the law.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
27 June 2025
-
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
Verb
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But one cost of that strong-arm approach quickly became apparent when Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina announced his retirement right after after Trump attacked him for opposing the bill, creating an open seat that will become Democrats’ best Senate opportunity in 2026.—
Ronald Brownstein,
Twin Cities,
10 July 2025
-
In 1940: The Battle of Britain began as German forces bombed shipping convoys in the English Channel, attacking its ports and radar stations.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
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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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Bronte looks fabulous in a slinky green dress, but Clayton’s unwelcome arrival upsets her until Clayton manhandles her and Joe beasts out, shoving him into a bookcase and telling him to leave her alone.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Brooks, a 43-year-old Black man, was punched, kicked, choked and manhandled in the Dec. 9 beating at Marcy Correctional Facility north of Utica.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Well, in Alva’s case, in the months after her very public divorce, the New York Times society column straight up bullied her by writing stories about all the super fun parties and balls her sister-in-law Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt threw while Alva was in exile.—
Alexis Nedd,
IndieWire,
2 July 2025
-
For years, Griffin never talked about being bullied as a child.—
Brad Schmitt,
The Tennessean,
2 July 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
-
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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While many of us watched with horror as the death toll in Central Texas mounted after catastrophic floods, a group of people ambushed an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Alvarado.—
Dallas Morning News,
Twin Cities,
10 July 2025
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Sami Zayn Sami Zayn was ambushed by Karrion Kross during his entrance.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maltreat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maltreat. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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