mistreat
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have mistreatedperfect
-
has mistreatedperfect 3rd person singular
-
am mistreatingprogressive 1st person singular
-
have been mistreatingperfect progressive
-
is mistreatingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
mistreatingparticiple
-
has been mistreatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
are mistreatingprogressive
-
mistreatssingular 3rd person
Past
-
had mistreatedperfect
-
was mistreatingprogressive singular
-
were mistreatingprogressive plural
-
had been mistreatingperfect progressive
-
mistreatedparticiple
-
mistreatedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of mistreat
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English mistreten; see mis- 1, treat
Explanation
If you mistreat someone, you harm them in some way. If you don't feed your cat for three days and refuse to clean its litter box, you are definitely mistreating it. People mistreat each other in all sorts of ways, from the emotional (by belittling, ignoring, or mocking them) to the physical (by hitting or otherwise physically harming them). If you see a neighbor mistreat his dog, you might call the police. If a teacher were to mistreat her students, she could lose her job. This verb adds the "bad or wrong" prefix mis- to treat, from its Latin root tractare, "manage or handle."
Vocabulary lists containing mistreat
Real-Life Superheroes
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Week 4 Vocabulary
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Zambian union leaders said Chinese managers pay poorly and mistreat workers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025
One attendee had even brought her sign from 2017, a verse from Leviticus in English and in Hebrew: “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them.”
From Slate • Mar. 27, 2025
Thompson’s death has inspired a torrent of fury about the way his insurance company and others treat — or mistreat — people in their moments of greatest need.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2024
There are a lot of people who mistreat dogs and take dogs for granted.
From Salon • Apr. 23, 2024
“Well, what kind of law is it, Ma, that lets a man mistreat his dog?”
From "Shiloh" by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
