molest

verb

mo·​lest mə-ˈlest How to pronounce molest (audio)
molested; molesting; molests

transitive verb

1
: to make unwanted or improper sexual advances towards (someone)
especially : to force physical and usually sexual contact on (someone)
He was sent to prison for molesting children.
2
somewhat old-fashioned : to annoy, disturb, or persecute (a person or animal) especially with hostile intent or injurious effect
Who doth molest my contemplation?Shakespeare
Bees flew past him, bees flew into him, bees settled upon his coat, bees paused questioningly in front of him … but not a single bee molested him.P. G. Wodehouse
At a hearing last week, activists persuaded the commission that the porcupines were being chased, molested and "worried" for human amusement.Kelli Anderson
molestation noun
molester noun

Examples of molest in a Sentence

He was sent to jail for molesting children. It was illegal to molest, capture, or kill any of the animals in the park.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the lawsuit, filed last week by the Bay Area law firms Cerri, Boskovich & Allard and Mary Alexander & Associates, three former students identified as Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3 described being molested during tutoring sessions spanning 2007 and 2016. Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2025 The subject is also personal for Kennedy, who was molested in childhood. Sheila McClear, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2025 Jessa also admitted to being molested by her brother Josh Duggar after his 2022 arrest, along with her sister Jill Duggar and a baby sitter. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024 Jail records show Hernandez faces two counts of indecent exposure in a public place, two counts disorderly conduct to solicit for lewd acts and one count of annoying or molesting a child. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 12 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for molest

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French molester, from Latin molestare, from molestus burdensome, annoying; akin to Latin moles mass

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of molest was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Molest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/molest. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

molest

verb
mo·​lest mə-ˈləst How to pronounce molest (audio)
1
: to injure or disturb by interfering : annoy
2
: to make unwelcome sexual advances to
especially : to force physical sexual contact on
molestation
ˌmōl-ˌes-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce molest (audio)
ˌmōl-əs-
ˌmäl-ˌes-
noun
molester noun

Legal Definition

molest

transitive verb
mo·​lest mə-ˈlest How to pronounce molest (audio)
1
: to annoy, disturb, or persecute especially with hostile intent or injurious effect
2
: to make annoying sexual advances to
specifically : to force physical and usually sexual contact on (as a child)
molester noun

More from Merriam-Webster on molest

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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