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
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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
-
At the time of her death, Sardinha was studying to become a counselor with the hope of working with women who had been abused, her mother told Orange County Superior Court Judge Michael J. Leversen.—
Sean Emery,
Oc Register,
25 July 2025
-
According to prosecutors, Maxwell helped Jeffrey Epstein recruit, groom, and abuse minor girls from about 1994 to about 2004, including girls as young as 14 years old.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
Verb
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In June, a woman defaced a Pilsen mural at 16th Street and Ashland Avenue and was accused of attacking another woman who tried to stop her.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
22 July 2025
-
Amorim needs a mobile centre forward capable of attacking open space at speed and offering a threat in quick transition.—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Verb
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Women are often mistreated with aggressive surgical techniques that can be avoided.—
Nkem Osian,
Baltimore Sun,
23 July 2025
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In the short term, closing the cases would allow the local governments in question to continue allegedly mistreating minority communities, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation.—
Jesse Coburn,
ProPublica,
18 July 2025
Verb
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He can be physically manhandled when attempting to seal powerful defensive ends and needs to be more assertive with his hands to keep his target engaged as a run blocker.—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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So maybe the real culprit is the attempt to manhandle her sensibility into a studio-horror sequel.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 July 2025
Verb
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During his childhood, he was isolated and bullied and eventually became addicted to heroin and struggled with his weight.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
20 July 2025
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Edmondson bullied Lapin the entire round and the Ukrainian looked gas.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
Verb
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The incident came 15 months after a cougar fatally mauled an El Dorado County man and severely injured his brother, the first fatal mountain lion attack in California in 20 years, according to previous Bee reporting.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
25 June 2025
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However, footage of a live shark mauling the empty cage was so exciting that Spielberg wanted to incorporate it in the film.—
Jim Beckerman,
USA Today,
16 June 2025
Verb
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Shooting comes 3 years after another incident The July 25 shooting comes less than three years after another fatal attack at a University of New Mexico housing building left one student dead and three campus visitors injured.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
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The boyfriend and dog weren’t injured in the attack.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 July 2025
Verb
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Upon arrival, the alleged victim says he was ambushed by a group of men, including Wallace, who forcibly took him to a private room where Diddy was waiting.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
15 July 2025
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Milwaukee is mourning the loss of Officer Kendall Corder, who, along with partner Christopher McCray, was ambushed in an alleyway while responding to a report of suspect firing a gun.—
Jessica Van Egeren,
jsonline.com,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maltreat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maltreat. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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