mistreat

verb

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

transitive verb

: to treat badly : abuse
mistreatment
ˌmis-ˈtrēt-mənt How to pronounce mistreat (audio)
noun

Synonyms of mistreat

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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
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.
Detectives said Beemer claimed his mother had mistreated him for years, including molesting him. — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026 For months, Democratic members of Congress and several advocacy organizations have called for Camp East Montana to be closed, citing reports that detainees have been routinely mistreated since its opening in August 2025. — Ryan J. Foley, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026 Bitter irony abounds, as when Nora, who is Black, attends a workplace mental health seminar in which a white, male supervisor who once mistreated her pretends to care about employees’ trauma. — Judy Berman, Time, 27 July 2026 But the suits allege that while these three students were at the school, staff did not protect them or prevent them from being mistreated. — Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mistreat

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

Rhymes for mistreat

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Browse Nearby Words

mistranslation
mistreat
mistress
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Cite this Entry

“Mistreat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mistreat. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mistreat

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

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Nglish: Translation of mistreat for Spanish Speakers

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