Standard Lemma guide

maltreat

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /malˈtɹiːt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To treat badly, to abuse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

treat badly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This boss abuses his workers
  • She is always stepping on others to get ahead

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mistreat, abuse, ill-use, step, ill-treat

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: treat, handle, do by

Narrower terms: kick around

History

Etymology

From mal- + treat, after French maltraiter.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: малтретирам (maltretiram) — treat badly
  • Cebuano: dagmal — treat badly
  • Cebuano: tampalas — treat badly
  • Cebuano: maltrato — treat badly
  • Chinese Mandarin: 虐待 (nüèdài) — treat badly
  • Dutch: mishandelen — treat badly
  • Esperanto: turmenti — treat badly
  • Finnish: kohdella kaltoin — treat badly
  • German: misshandeln — treat badly
  • Greek: κακομεταχειρίζομαι (kakometacheirízomai) — treat badly
  • Greek: κακοποιώ (kakopoió) — treat badly
  • Ancient Greek: προυσελέω (prouseléō) — treat badly
  • Ancient Greek: αἰκίζω (aikízō) — treat badly
  • Ancient Greek: ἀτέμβω (atémbō) — treat badly
  • Japanese: 虐げる (shiitageru) — treat badly
  • Japanese: 差別する (sabetsu suru) — treat badly
  • Japanese: 冷遇する (reigū suru) — treat badly
  • Khmer: ធ្វើបាប (thvəə baap) — treat badly
  • Latin: violō — treat badly
  • Māori: rurerure — treat badly
  • Māori: tunuhuruhuru — treat badly
  • Māori: tūkino — treat badly
  • Portuguese: maltratar — treat badly
  • Russian: пло́хо обраща́ться (plóxo obraščátʹsja) — treat badly
  • Turkish: zulmetmek — treat badly
  • Vietnamese: bạc đãi — treat badly
  • Vietnamese: ngược đãi — treat badly