treat
Americanverb (used with object)
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treats,
present (3rd person singular)
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treated,
past participle, past
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treating
present participle
-
to act or behave toward (a person) in some specified way.
to treat someone with respect.
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to consider or regard in a specified way, and deal with accordingly.
to treat a matter as unimportant.
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to deal with (a disease, patient, etc.) in order to relieve or cure.
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to deal with in speech or writing; discuss.
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to deal with, develop, or represent artistically, especially in some specified manner or style.
to treat a theme realistically.
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to subject to some agent or action in order to bring about a particular result.
to treat a substance with an acid.
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to entertain; give hospitality to.
He treats diplomats in the lavish surroundings of his country estate.
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to provide food, entertainment, gifts, etc., at one's own expense.
Let me treat you to dinner.
verb (used without object)
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treats,
present (3rd person singular)
-
treated,
past participle, past
-
treating
present participle
-
to deal with a subject in speech or writing; discourse.
a work that treats of the caste system in India.
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to give, or bear the expense of, a treat.
Is it my turn to treat?
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to carry on negotiations with a view to a settlement; discuss terms of settlement; negotiate.
noun
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treats
plural
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entertainment, food, drink, etc., given by way of compliment or as an expression of friendly regard.
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anything that affords particular pleasure or enjoyment.
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the act of treating.
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one's turn to treat.
noun
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a celebration, entertainment, gift, or feast given for or to someone and paid for by another
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any delightful surprise or specially pleasant occasion
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the act of treating
verb
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(tr) to deal with or regard in a certain manner
she treats school as a joke
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(tr) to apply treatment to
to treat a patient for malaria
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(tr) to subject to a process or to the application of a substance
to treat photographic film with developer
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(tr; often foll by to) to provide (someone) (with) as a treat
he treated the children to a trip to the zoo
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formal to deal (with), as in writing or speaking
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formal (intr) to discuss settlement; negotiate
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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treaternoun
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overtreatverb
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nontreatedadjective
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self-treatedadjective
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treatableadjective
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untreatedadjective
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well-treatedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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treatsimple
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treatssimple
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have treatedperfect
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has treatedperfect
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am treatingprogressive
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are treatingprogressive
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is treatingprogressive
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have been treatingperfect progressive
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has been treatingperfect progressive
Past
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treatedsimple
-
had treatedperfect
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was treatingprogressive
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were treatingprogressive
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had been treatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of treat
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English verb treten, from Old French tretier, traitier, from Latin tractāre “to drag, handle, treat,” frequentative of trahere “to drag”; see tract 1
Explanation
If you've been working hard and living thriftily for months on end, give yourself a treat: take the night off and go out to dinner and a movie. One sense of treat has to do with pleasures and special occasions. You might treat your mother to a pedicure, or give your dog a tasty treat. Treat can also mean "to carry on negotiations," (the meaning that feeds into treaty), or "to take care of." A doctor treats your illness with medication. If you treat a boy as an adult, that means you act as though he is one, even if he's only 16. Treat him carefully!
Vocabulary lists containing treat
National Nurses Week: Tasks and Equipment
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"Water at Work"
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"On the Menu" and "Find the Adaptations"
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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.
See Examples For:
We’ve seen our parents parent wonderfully, and that has set an example for how to treat each other as business partners.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
Listen to the pop-country godmother: If you’re enjoying the country-crossover renaissance exemplified by Ella Langley’s chart-topping song “Choosin’ Texas,” you’re in for a treat: Langley’s mentor, Miranda Lambert, has a new album out.
From Slate ● Oct. 5, 2026
"Being part of a group can never diminish individual responsibility for our own actions, for how we treat others, or for speaking up when someone may be at risk," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
The mass turned out to be glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer that is notoriously difficult to treat.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 4, 2026
Natalie took pity on Churro and gave him one more treat before putting the plastic container on one of the empty shelves.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
“Wherever I go, people want the same things: a judge who is prepared and fair, who will listen to their side of the case, and who treats them with respect,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Divorce law treats marital property as an equitable or 50/50 split, depending on the state.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
Rosval pushed directly against the stereotype of the angry, aggressive chef who treats the kitchen like a battlefield.
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
Until recently, peptides had to be injected because the gut treats them like a piece of steak and digests it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
Back at the Siren’s Cove, they warmed themselves in front of the fire and Auntie North brought out tea and treats.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
The treated mice also moved more normally and placed more weight on the paw attached to the injured leg than untreated animals did.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
I wasn't part of the team but they treated me like I was.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
In essence, it is this: How specific does a lawsuit have to be before a fiduciary’s documented, reasoned judgment gets treated as a legal liability instead of prudent diversification?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
Pneumonic plague can be fatal if not treated early, according to the World Health Organization.
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
It was kind, especially after the way I’d treated him.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Users dubbed the red agent “Lobster,” treating it like a digital pet.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 3, 2026
Once diners begin treating evidence of human effort as part of the product, efficiency itself can start looking suspicious.
From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026
My results showed various deficiencies, which the staff recommended treating with vitamin B and glutathione IV drips, acupuncture, cupping massages, osteopathy and daily hydro and mud therapy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Barrera praised Newsom for treating education as a “core priority,” and especially for creating a new public school grade level: transitional kindergarten for 4-year-olds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
I opened my door and went around to meet Mr. Patterson because it was the right thing to do, even if Mr. Patterson was going to yell at me for treating him like a child.
From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen
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.
