Synonyms

ill-treat

American

[il-treet] / ˈɪlˈtrit /

verb (used with object)

to treat badly; maltreat; abuse.

ill-treat British

verb

(tr) to behave cruelly or harshly towards; misuse; maltreat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

ill-treatment noun

Etymology

Origin of ill-treat

First recorded in 1695–1705

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.

Hudson was found not guilty of ill-treating two other patients.

From BBC

Ms Hudson, of Coriander Close, Blackpool, denies ill-treating four patients and stealing Mebeverine, a medicine.

From BBC

“This government will not ill-treat or harm anyone,” Mr. Bennett said in an interview with N12, Israel’s most watched news broadcast.

From New York Times

"In all the time I have worked with him, I have never seen him be vindictive or ill-treat anyone," he said.

From BBC

In these quotations, to vanquish foes and destroy enemies does not mean to ill-treat others in any way, or even to seek victory over them in a traditional sense.

From Washington Post

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023