maltreat
verb
mal·treat ˌmal-ˈtrēt 
maltreated; maltreating; maltreats
transitive verb
: to treat cruelly or roughly : abuse
maltreater
ˌmal-ˈtrē-tər
noun maltreatment
ˌmal-ˈtrēt-mənt
noun 
Synonyms
- abuse
- brutalize
- bully
- ill-treat
- ill-use
- kick around
- manhandle
- mess over [slang]
- mishandle
- mistreat
- misuse
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a manager fired for maltreating the staff with needless insults if you maltreat the puppy, we will take it away immediately
Recent Examples on the Web 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 Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated. Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017 Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated. Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017 Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated. Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017 Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated. Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017 Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated. Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017 Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated. Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017 See More
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 Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated. Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017 Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated. Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017 Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated. Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017 Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated. Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017 Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated. Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017 Youngsters who live in neighborhoods with more bars or liquor stores are more likely to be maltreated. Kunmi Sobowale, Scientific American, 1 July 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
partial translation of French maltraiter, from Middle French, from mal- + traiter to treat, from Old French traitier — more at treat entry 1
First Known Use
1708, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
maltreat
verb
mal·treat mal-ˈtrēt
maltreated; maltreating
: to treat in a rough or unkind way : abuse
maltreating
verb
1
as in abusing
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
Relevance
- abusing
- bullying
- torturing
- mistreating
- injuring
- oppressing
- ill-treating
- brutalizing
- violating
- persecuting
- manhandling
- misusing
- hurting
- mishandling
- harassing
- molesting
- taking apart
- tormenting
- ill-using
- harming
- outraging
- messing over
- victimizing
- wronging
- kicking around
- sandbagging
- burning
- working (over)
- beating (up)
- roughing (up)
- messing (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- fostering
- nurturing
- cherishing
- caring (for)
- gratifying
- humoring
- favoring
- indulging
- spoiling
- coddling
- catering (to)
- pampering
- mollycoddling
- babying
2
as in attacking
to abuse physically if you maltreat the puppy, we will take it away immediately Synonyms & Similar Words
- abusing
- attacking
- torturing
- ambushing
- manhandling
- mauling
- mishandling
- beating
- injuring
- mistreating
- battering
- wounding
- hurting
- ill-treating
- persecuting
- slapping
- harming
- misusing
- wrestling
- fighting
- licking
- oppressing
- wronging
- pummeling
- roughhousing
- thrashing
- tormenting
- roughing (up)
- bashing
- knocking
- assailing
- buffeting
- hitting
- lambasting
- pommeling
- pounding
- drubbing
- ill-using
- pommelling
- jumping
- pummelling
- clobbering
- ganging up (on)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- caressing
- fondling
- petting
- fostering
- coddling
- pampering
- nurturing
- mollycoddling
- caring (for)
- interleukin-2
- interleukin-6
- interleukins
- interlibrary
- interlight
- interline
- interlineal
- interlineally
- interlinear
- interlinearly
- interlinears
- interlineary
- interlineate
- interlineated
- interlineates
- interlineating
- interlineation
- interlineations
- interlined
- interliner
- interliners
- interlines
- interlingua
- interlinguae
- interlingual