mistreat

verb

mis·​treat ˌmis-ˈtrēt How to pronounce mistreat (audio)
mistreated; mistreating; mistreats

transitive verb

: to treat badly : abuse
mistreatment noun

Examples of mistreat in a Sentence

They accuse him of mistreating his wife. She claimed she had been mistreated by the police.
Recent Examples on the Web An animal who was hungry all the time in an earlier life may be defensive or agitated around meals, just like a cat who was mistreated by previous owners might be anxious around people. Colleen Grablick, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 The $10,000 fine against Smart & Final, the warehouse-style supply chain, and $5,000 fine against a contractor Smart & Final relied on for security services were issued after investigators concluded a Black shopper had been mistreated. Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024 The Humane Society houses lost, abandoned and mistreated animals and is Butler County's longest-operating shelter. Erin Glynn, The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024 Arab American civil rights advocates have previously said the department sometimes mistreated its immigrant residents. Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 12 Feb. 2024 There were other problems looming, including nine pending lawsuits filed by jail inmates saying they were mistreated at the jail Berdnik oversaw. Matt Fagan, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2024 That — along with stylish mullets, mistreating jungle cats, inept murder-for-hire plots, and of course, meth — is his weakness. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 21 Feb. 2024 Well, there is some concern about Democrats – from Democrats that those individuals turned away would then in turn be exploited if they're pushed back into Mexico and somehow mistreated. CBS News, 4 Feb. 2024 The company was mired in controversy after activist groups and internal staff complaints alleged that Neuralink mistreated some of the animals used in experiments. Denise Chow, NBC News, 4 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mistreat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mistreat was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near mistreat

Cite this Entry

“Mistreat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mistreat. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mistreat

verb
mis·​treat (ˈ)mis-ˈtrēt How to pronounce mistreat (audio)
: to treat badly : abuse
mistreatment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on mistreat

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