mistreat
verb (used with object)
to treat badly or abusively.
had been mistreating
-
past perfect progressiveof mistreat.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
After reporting Lopez missing last September, Lopez’s daughter told a detective that Yepez had been mistreating her mother at work, the police report said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
In the story, Mr. Telles blamed “a handful of old-timers” for exaggerating the relationship and for falsely claiming that he had been mistreating them.
From New York Times ● Sep. 7, 2022
