molested; molesting; molests
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
ShakespeareBees 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
P. G. WodehouseAt a hearing last week, activists persuaded the commission that the porcupines were being chased, molested and "worried" for human amusement.—Kelli Anderson
Kelli AndersonExamples 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
Records later released from that case show the prosecutor presented the girls molested by Epstein as prostitutes and liars when speaking to the grand jury.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
Elena Bardin, 28, was arrested in April after police accused the married mother of molesting an incarcerated teen at the Adair Juvenile Detention Center — and then asking the boy to murder her 49-year-old husband.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
In addition to the sleepovers, Holmes says Lorch molested him hundreds of times, in the church itself and on car rides home.
—Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025
The annoying or molesting charges were related to lewd or inappropriate comments Moseby allegedly made to students.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for molest
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Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
Elena Bardin, 28, was arrested in April after police accused the married mother of molesting an incarcerated teen at the Adair Juvenile Detention Center — and then asking the boy to murder her 49-year-old husband.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
In addition to the sleepovers, Holmes says Lorch molested him hundreds of times, in the church itself and on car rides home.
—Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025
The annoying or molesting charges were related to lewd or inappropriate comments Moseby allegedly made to students.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for molest
Cite this Entry
“Molest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/molest. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
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)
molester
noun
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