as in abused
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
anyone who ill-treats their pets should not be allowed to have any
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Recent Examples of ill-treated
Declarants describe detentions following their civil immigration arrests that deprived them of basic human dignity, including being ill-treated, with inadequate food and uncomfortable and crowded sleeping facilities, and being denied medical attention.
—
New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
There is a troubling suggestion of abuse, implying that Jack might have been ill-treated by his mom (and saved by Helen), rather than heartlessly abandoned.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
There is a troubling suggestion of abuse, implying that Jack might have been ill-treated by his mom (and saved by Helen), rather than heartlessly abandoned.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-treated
Verb
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Berman rehabilitates rabbits that are abandoned, neglected, abused, and in danger of being euthanized.—
Sharon Chin,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Prosecutors argue that Duckett was a monster in disguise who abused the badge and brutally raped and killed Teresa before dumping her body in a lake.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Surveys have found that significant numbers of trans workers report being fired, denied promotions, or mistreated on the job because of their gender identity, Orr said, contributing to broader economic disparities within the trans community.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
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Despite his status as a transfer, Dent mistreated UCLA’s rival from the jump.—
Aaron Heisen,
Oc Register,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Bundy tortured, raped and killed dozens of young women in more than half a dozen states in the 1970s.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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Estimates suggest that as many as 1,900 Jews were abducted, tortured and murdered by the military junta during the six-year Dirty War, when many sources say 30,000 people were disappeared.—
Juan Melamed,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When these kids finally managed to attend classes, they were beaten and bullied by classmates.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Pitchfork,
4 Apr. 2026
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Hernandez was emphatic that nobody in her family bullied Rabell, who prior to landing at Hernandez’s home had been a client of DCF’s Adult Protective Services program.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ill-treated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-treated. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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