mistreat
gb/mɪstɹˈit/ us/mɪstɹˈit/
B2
Anglais
Sens
0 sens
Verbe
B2
action
1
treat someone cruelly or unfairly
to treat someone or an animal in a bad or cruel way
Schéma d’usage :
mistreat [someone/animal]
Erreur fréquente :
Do not confuse with 'misunderstand' or 'misinterpret' (mistreat is about treatment/behavior, not understanding).
Synonymes
abuse (Often suggests repeated cruelty or violence and can sound stronger.)
|
ill-treat (A close synonym; slightly more formal or literary.)
|
maltreat (More formal; often used in legal or official contexts.)
Antonymes
treat well (The direct opposite: behave kindly and fairly.)
|
care for (Emphasizes looking after someone or something in a protective way.)
Collocations
mistreat children
|mistreat a child
|mistreat women
|mistreat employees
|mistreat workers
|mistreat prisoners
|mistreat a patient
|mistreat animals
|mistreat a dog
|cruelly mistreat
Thèmes
people
|relationships
|crime_law
|ethics
|animals
Exemples
- He was arrested for mistreating his partner.
- The report found that some workers were being mistreated and underpaid.
- It’s illegal to mistreat animals, even if they are strays.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Do not mistreat people.
- She said her boss mistreated her.
Verbe
C1
action
2
handle something roughly or badly
to use or handle something in a bad way and damage it
Schéma d’usage :
mistreat [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may overuse this for minor problems; for small damage, 'handle carelessly' or 'damage' may be more natural.
Synonymes
misuse (Focuses on using something in the wrong way, not necessarily roughly.)
|
handle roughly (More specific about physical roughness.)
|
abuse (In this sense, suggests using something too hard or too much (e.g., 'abuse the engine').)
Antonymes
handle with care (Emphasizes careful, gentle use.)
|
maintain (Focuses on keeping something in good condition over time.)
Collocations
mistreat equipment
|mistreat a car
|mistreat a guitar
|mistreat a computer
|mistreat a tool
|mistreat a book
|mistreat the machinery
|badly mistreat
|roughly mistreat
Thèmes
daily_life
|tools_technology
|work
Exemples
- If you mistreat the battery, it won’t hold a charge for long.
- The rental company charges extra if you mistreat the equipment.
- He mistreated the engine by never changing the oil.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Don’t mistreat this laptop.
- She mistreated the car and it broke down.
Verbe
formal
C1
action
3
treat medically in a wrong way
to treat a health problem in the wrong way
Schéma d’usage :
mistreat [an illness/injury/condition]
Erreur fréquente :
In healthcare contexts, 'misdiagnose' (wrong diagnosis) and 'mistreat' (wrong treatment) are different.
Synonymes
treat improperly (A straightforward paraphrase; less compact.)
|
manage poorly (Often used for long-term conditions rather than a single treatment decision.)
Antonymes
treat properly (Gives correct medical care.)
|
treat effectively (Emphasizes that the treatment works well.)
Collocations
mistreat an injury
|mistreat a wound
|mistreat an infection
|mistreat a condition
|mistreat an illness
|mistreat symptoms
Thèmes
health
|medicine
Exemples
- The infection got worse because it was mistreated at first.
- If asthma is mistreated, symptoms can become more severe over time.
- They warned against mistreating the burn with home remedies.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The doctor said the wound was mistreated.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
mistreat
API
GB/mɪstɹˈit/
US/mɪstɹˈit/
Syllabes et accentuation
mis - treat (2 syllabes)
Stress on 2nd syllable (treat)
Formes du mot
Verb
- Base: mistreat
- 3rd Person Singular: mistreats
- Present Participle: mistreating
- Past: mistreated
Famille de mots
Expressions
Aucune expression n’est encore associée à cette entrée.