Meanings
nounmistreatment (countable and uncountable, plural mistreatments)
plural mistreatments
- countableuncountableCruel, abusive, unfair, or thoughtless treatment of a person or animal (or rarely an object).
There were allegations of mistreatment at the prison.
1 more example
I was appalled at the mistreatment meted out to them.
Synonyms: maltreatment
Synonyms & antonyms
nounCruel, abusive, unfair, or thoughtless treatment of a person or animal (or rarely an object).
Similar
Origin
Translations
Dutch mishandeling
- mishandelingimproper treatment
German Misshandlung, schlechte Behandlung
- Misshandlungimproper treatment
- schlechte Behandlungimproper treatment
- Schindereiimproper treatment
Indonesian penganiayaan
- penganiayaanimproper treatment
Latin contumēlia
- contumēliaimproper treatment
Māori rurerurenga, tūkinonga
- rurerurengaimproper treatment
- tūkinongaimproper treatment
Norwegian Bokmål mishandling
- mishandlingimproper treatment
Polish poniewieranie, maltretowanie
- poniewieranieimproper treatment
- maltretowanieimproper treatment
- znęcanie sięimproper treatment
Portuguese destrato, judiação
- destratoimproper treatment
- judiaçãoimproper treatment
Cite this entry
APA
mistreatment. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mistreatment
MLA
“mistreatment.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mistreatment. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mistreatment,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mistreatment.
Source: mistreatment on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.