molest

1 of 2

verb

mo·​lest mə-ˈlest 

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 a minor.

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

ˌmō-ˌle-ˈstā-shən 

ˌmä-, 

-lə-

noun

molester

mə-ˈle-stər 

noun

molestation

2 of 2

noun

mo·​les·​ta·​tion ˌmōˌleˈstāshən 

-ˌləˈ-

plural -s

1

a

archaic : a cause or state of harassment : vexation

all the molestations of marriage are abundantly recompensed with other comforts

—Thomas Fuller

b

: an act or instance of molesting : annoyance, obstruction

liberty to … worship without molestation

—William Sewel

seas upon which our ships and planes can travel without molestation

—U.S. Code

2

a

Scots law : interference with or troubling another in his possession of land

b

: willful injury inflicted upon another by interference with his user of rights as to person, character, social position, or property

Examples of molest in a Sentence

Verb

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

Verb

Six weeks passed between the night Jeremiah Shawn Duffey was accused of molesting a child and the night he is alleged to have killed his wife in a murder-suicide. — Shayna Jacobs, NBC news, 29 July 2026

In 2001, he was convicted of molesting a Butte County child under 14 and served a year in jail. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026

In 2021, he was accused of molesting two preteen brothers during the early 1970s while serving as choir director at Precious Blood Catholic Church in the Near West Side. — Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026

Shortly after moving into a garage room of the home of the first two victims in the case, who were sisters, Perez-Juarez began to molest the girls, according to authorities. — Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 16 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

Noun

Middle English molestacioun, from Middle French molestation, from Late Latin molestation-, molestatio, from Latin molestatus (past participle of molestare) + -ion-, -io -ion

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for molest

• abreast
• accessed
• addressed
• appressed
• armrest
• arrest
• assessed
• attest
• backrest
• behest
• bequest
• caressed

Kids Definition

molest

verb

mo·​lest mə-ˈləst 

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 

ˌmōl-əs-, 

ˌmäl-ˌes-

noun

molester

mə-ˈles-tər 

noun

Legal Definition

molest

transitive verb

mo·​lest mə-ˈlest 

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)

molestation

ˌmō-ˌles-ˈtā-shən, ˌmä-, -ləs- 

noun

molester noun