mistreated
Handled with cruelty
Mistreated means treated badly, cruelly, or unfairly.
The word suggests ongoing or repeated harm rather than a single incident: The dog had clearly been mistreated by its previous owner.
It applies to physical abuse, emotional neglect, or unjust treatment: mistreated employees, mistreated prisoners.
Someone mistreated has been wronged by those who should have treated them better.
Treated harmfully or wrongly
- brutalizedHarshly abused or attacked
- tormentedSubjected to severe distress
- torturedCaused intense suffering
- persecutedSubjected to hostile treatment
victimized · brutality · inhumanity · sadism · malevolence · viciousness · barbarity · savagery
Treated with injustice
- discriminatedTreated unequally based on category
- oppressedTreated with cruel control
- exploitedUnfairly utilized for benefit
- inequityUnfair distribution or treatment
unfairness · bias · prejudice · disparity · inequality · grievance · violated · disenfranchised
Cause or feel pain
- woundedHaving sustained harm
- damagedMade worse by injury
- injuredHaving sustained harm
- scarredMarked by healed wounds
traumatized · broken · suffering · afflicted · battered · bruised · harmed · pain
Not given proper attention
- ignoredPurposely not noticed
- abandonedLeft behind completely
- forgottenNo longer recalled
- overlookedNot noticed or considered
disregarded · uncared-for · unattended · forsaken · deserted · isolated · sidelined · unnoticed
One harmed by another
- survivorOne still alive after
- helplessUnable to act independently
- defenselessWithout means to resist
- powerlessLacking strength or authority
vulnerable · disempowered · at-risk · unprotected · dependent · voiceless · silenced · trapped
abused
Treated harmfully or wrongly
- brutalizedHarshly abused or attacked
- tormentedSubjected to severe distress
- torturedCaused intense suffering
persecuted · victimized · brutality · inhumanity · sadism · malevolence · viciousness · barbarity · savagery · atrocity
wronged
Treated with injustice
- discriminatedTreated unequally based on category
- oppressedTreated with cruel control
- exploitedUnfairly utilized for benefit
inequity · unfairness · bias · prejudice · disparity · inequality · grievance · violated · disenfranchised · scapegoated
hurt
Cause or feel pain
scarred · traumatized · broken · suffering · afflicted · battered · bruised · harmed · pain · anguish
neglected
Not given proper attention
overlooked · disregarded · uncared-for · unattended · forsaken · deserted · isolated · sidelined · unnoticed · undervalued
victim
One harmed by another
- survivorOne still alive after
- helplessUnable to act independently
- defenselessWithout means to resist
powerless · vulnerable · disempowered · at-risk · unprotected · dependent · voiceless · silenced · trapped · subjugated
- unfairnessunfair, unjust, biased, unequal, inequitable
- Self-Pitywoe is me, why me, nobody cares, story of my life, taken for granted
- wrongedabused, victimized, exploited, oppressed, bullied
- offendedoffended, insulted, slighted, affronted, indignant
- botchedbotched, bungled, messed up, screwed up, fouled up
- rejectedrejected, spurned, rebuffed, snubbed, refused
mistreatedprotected
Kept from harm
cared for · nurtured · looked after · safeguarded · sheltered