mistreat

American

[mis-treet] / mɪsˈtrit /

verb (used with object)

to treat badly or abusively.

Synonyms:

wrong, misuse, ill-treat, maltreat

mistreat British

/ ˌmɪsˈtriːt /

verb

(tr) to treat badly

"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

mistreatment noun

Etymology

Origin of mistreat

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English mistreten; mis- ¹, 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.

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