Meaning & use
treating
Last updated
“treating” is a form of “treat”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Behaving toward someone or something in a particular way, as in treating people kindly or roughly.
Grammar: Takes an object and often a manner phrase: treating him fairly.
Patterns
- treat someone as something
- treat someone like something
- treat someone well
She is treating her new colleagues with great respect.
Stop treating me like a child.
He is treating the old books very carefully.
verbtransitivemedical
Giving medical care to a person, animal or condition in order to improve it.
Grammar: Takes an object: treating a patient or an illness.
Patterns
- treat someone for something
- treat something with something
The doctor is treating her for a lung infection.
Nurses are treating the injured at the roadside.
The vet is treating our dog with antibiotics.
verbtransitiveinformal
Paying for something enjoyable, such as a meal or gift, for another person.
Grammar: Often with 'to': treating someone to something.
Patterns
- treat someone to something
I'm treating everyone to dinner tonight.
She is treating herself to a new coat.
Grandpa is treating the kids to ice cream.
verbtransitive
Applying a substance or process to something to protect it or change its properties.
Grammar: Takes an object: treating the wood.
Patterns
- treat something with something
Workers are treating the fence with a waterproof coating.
The plant is treating wastewater before it enters the river.
She is treating the soil with lime.
Word forms
| base form | treat |
|---|---|
| third person singular | treats |
| past tense | treated |
| past participle | treated |
Common combinations
- treating someone fairly
- The manager is treating everyone fairly.
- treating a patient
- The doctor is treating a patient with a broken wrist.
- treating yourself
- I'm treating myself to a weekend away.
- treating something seriously
- The school is treating the incident seriously.
- treating something with respect
- She was treating the old manuscript with respect.
Synonyms and how they differ
- handling
- This suggests physically dealing with or managing something, while treating also covers behavior and medical care.
- curing
- This claims the problem will be fixed completely, while treating only means giving care, which may not cure.
- dealing with
- This is broader and informal, and does not suggest medical care or a gift.
- regarding
- This means considering someone in a certain way in the mind, whereas treating concerns actual behavior.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: treating or treading? treating or curing?
treating vs treading
Treading means walking or stepping, as in treading carefully; it is not a form of treat.
treating vs curing
Treating a patient does not always mean curing them. Curing means making them well again.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'treating' to mean paying for someone's meal?
Choose one answer.
Treating someone to something means paying for it. The other sentences use treating for medical care, behavior and applying a substance.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “treating”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.