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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maltreat
Social media can’t replace offline resources for children who are being maltreated.
—
Laura Schwab Reese, The Conversation, 2 Sep. 2025
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
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
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
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
Laura Schwab Reese, The Conversation, 2 Sep. 2025
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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maltreat
Verb
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More importantly, Penske also describes this dynamic as antitrust behavior from a company abusing what the federal government has already described as Google’s monopoly status in the realm of Internet search.—
Andy Meek,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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The biggest Flock controversy centers on allegations that law enforcement has abused the company’s surveillance network to target women, immigrants, and people engaging in legal activity outside their home states.—
Jennifer Jolly,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In a new warning, a senior Iranian army official said Tehran was ready to broaden its military reach beyond conventional strikes if attacked.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Taylor fills the bootstraps of Perfidia Beverly Hills, a formidable leader armed with a rifle fighting for the cause, her main prerogative is to overtake the institutions that imprison and attack vulnerable groups.—
Essence,
Essence,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Trump has alienated Brazil by defending its former president, charged with trying to overturn a legitimate election, and South Africa, accusing it of mistreating its White citizens.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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Instead, scenes of life at the nunnery are interspersed with childhood memories, usually involving her mother assisting people in need or her classmates mistreating vulnerable children.—
Nathaniel Moore
September 10,
Literary Hub,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Pats got manhandled by Mother Nature and the Dolphins over a 20-7 loss played out under 90-degree temperatures.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The Tigers then manhandled Ball State.—
Tom Layberger,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Motivated largely by his desire to please his dead father, who bullied him into believing that toughness is the essence of manhood, Cade insists on pushing past his injury and pursuing his dream.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
19 Sep. 2025
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Jeremiah has been so completely denigrated that the actor who plays him, Gavin Casalegno, has faced death threats, and the show’s official social media has posted public statements asking for fans to stop bullying him.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In 2024, the competition was delayed a week after one of the contestants was fatally mauled by a rival bear with the attack witness on the live webcams.—
Saman Shafiq,
Freep.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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In Toledo, a misread contributed to a Black man being mauled by a police K-9 dog after a traffic stop.—
Jennifer Jolly,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Most recently, he was badly injured after a high–speed car crash in New Hampshire in August.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Sep. 2025
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Two Fort Worth firefighters were injured while battling a two-alarm fire at the house.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Red Sox ambushed the New York Yankees in Sunday night’s series finale, ripping off six runs in the first inning en route to a 6-4 win.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
15 Sep. 2025
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On that time Ohio’s mascot ambushed Ohio State’s mascot 15 years ago, by NBC4’s Jerod Smalley.—
Jason Kirk,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maltreat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maltreat. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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