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 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
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
Tajul Islam, 55, is accused of groping and molesting the victims inside Masjid Bilal Queens on Sutphin Blvd.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
As Frank noted in a 2011 memoir, My Friend Michael, the family rallied behind Jackson in the 1990s after he was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy, in a civil lawsuit Jackson settled for roughly $23 million in 1994.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026
In 2003, Jackson was arrested on charges of molesting 13-year-old Gavin Arvizo.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
According to The New York Times, the young boy, who was not named at the time, accused the singer of molesting him repeatedly over a five-month period.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for molest
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Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
As Frank noted in a 2011 memoir, My Friend Michael, the family rallied behind Jackson in the 1990s after he was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy, in a civil lawsuit Jackson settled for roughly $23 million in 1994.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026
In 2003, Jackson was arrested on charges of molesting 13-year-old Gavin Arvizo.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
According to The New York Times, the young boy, who was not named at the time, accused the singer of molesting him repeatedly over a five-month period.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for molest
Cite this Entry
“Molest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/molest. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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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