Meaning & use
molest
To subject someone, especially a child, to unwanted or improper sexual contact or behavior.
See it in a sentence
The trial concerned a former coach accused of molesting several young athletes he trained.
New laws were passed to protect children after several cases of adults molesting minors came to light.
A note on using this word
In older or legal English, molest could simply mean to interfere with or annoy someone, but in modern usage it almost always refers to sexual abuse.
Words with a similar meaning
abuseassault
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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