Looking up...
mistreat
/mɪsˈtriːt/
to treat someone unfairly or cruelly
The manager was fired for mistreating his employees.
The manager was dismissed because he treated his employees poorly.
general
to treat someone or something badly or unfairly
The animals were mistreated in the circus.
The animals suffered from poor care and abuse in the circus.
She felt mistreated by her boss after being passed over for promotion.
She felt unfairly treated by her boss when she was overlooked for a promotion.
Often used in contexts involving abuse, neglect, or unfair treatment of people, animals, or objects.
Collocations
mistreat someoneto treat someone badlymistreat animalsto abuse or neglect animalsmistreat propertyto damage or misuse property
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Context Matters
Use 'mistreat' when referring to intentional or negligent unfair treatment, not for accidental harm.
Gold Rule
Avoid Overuse
Use 'mistreat' for serious cases of unfair treatment; for minor issues, consider 'treat unfairly'.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'mistreten', from Old English 'mistrēowan' (to mistrust) and 'trēowan' (to treat). The prefix 'mis-' indicates wrong or bad treatment.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in legal, social, and ethical contexts to describe unfair or cruel treatment. Often associated with human rights, animal welfare, and workplace ethics.
Word Breakdown
mis-
bad or wrong
prefix-treat
to handle or deal with
rootEnglish Dictionary