maltreat
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
- maltreater noun
- maltreatment noun
Etymology
Origin of maltreat
First recorded in 1700–10; earlier maltrait, from French maltraiter; mal-, treat
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.
“If people continue maltreating the sacred lake like this, it will expand again and drown all the villages and towns around it.”
From Seattle Times
They have described using such tools as a moral imperative, insisting that child welfare officials should draw from all data at their disposal to make sure children aren’t maltreated.
From Seattle Times
"There were those who treated us like humans, they understood us and sympathised with us. I can’t say that everyone was bad and maltreated us. It depended on the person," she said.
From Reuters
Bosses and colleagues who maltreat subordinates with ridicule or lack of consideration are as common as the companies who protect them.
From Salon
"Why are you harassing him and why are you maltreating not only him, but his family and an entire nation that is free and proud."
From Fox News
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.
