as in to abuse
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-treat
But that shouldn’t, in my mind, make an excuse for ill-treating a patient.
—
Jessica Schreifels, ProPublica, 26 Sep. 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
Jessica Schreifels, ProPublica, 26 Sep. 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-treat
Verb
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General view of the Google headquarters in King’s Cross as the tech giant faces a 5 billion pound lawsuit in the UK for allegedly abusing its online search dominance.—
April Roach,Tasmin Lockwood,
CNBC,
10 Oct. 2025
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After the split, LaPaglia claimed she was emotionally abused by her ex during an episode of the BFFs Podcast.—
Stephanie Wenger,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In prison, she was often severely mistreated.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
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One said no one mistreated him.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Social media can’t replace offline resources for children who are being maltreated.—
Laura Schwab Reese,
The Conversation,
2 Sep. 2025
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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
Verb
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How will Fangio rejuvenate a defense that got bullied by a 1-4 Giants team?—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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Tallulah Willis celebrated her resemblance to her famous dad Bruce Willis while calling out adults who bullied her looks as a teenager.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Jays tortured the Yankees all season, and notched one final win 5-2 in Game 4 of the AL Division Series on Wednesday.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
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Murphy also revealed there would be a focus on the Hungarian noblewoman Elizabeth Báthory, who, along with her servants, was accused of torturing and killing hundreds of young women in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ill-treat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-treat. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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