molest
Americanverb
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to disturb or annoy by malevolent interference
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to accost or attack, esp with the intention of assaulting sexually
Synonym Usage
See attack.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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molestsimple
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molestssimple
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have molestedperfect
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has molestedperfect
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am molestingprogressive
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are molestingprogressive
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is molestingprogressive
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have been molestingperfect progressive
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has been molestingperfect progressive
Past
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molestedsimple
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had molestedperfect
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was molestingprogressive
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were molestingprogressive
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had been molestingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of molest
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English molesten, from Latin molestāre “to irk,” derivative of molestus “irksome”; compare mōlēs “mass, burden, trouble”
Explanation
To molest someone is to annoy or attack them. Although the word was first used to mean "pester," now it is more typically used to refer to criminal abuse. The verb molest can be used to talk about any kind of persistent harassment, but it most commonly describes an unwanted or aggressive sexual attack. To molest someone in this in way is a very serious criminal assault. The word originally meant simply "to cause trouble or grief," and it comes from the Latin word molestare, "to disturb, trouble, or annoy." It wasn't used to mean "attack sexually" until about 1950.
Vocabulary lists containing molest
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The sultan comes, impatient for his love; Conduct her hither; let no rude intrusion Molest these private walks, or care invade These hours, assign'd to pleasure and Irene.
From Dr. Johnson's Works: Life, Poems, and Tales, Volume 1 The Works of Samuel Johnson, Ll.D., in Nine Volumes by Johnson, Samuel
Molest is rather a hard word, Mr. Ormsby.
From The Scarlet Feather by Grefé, Will
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tower The moping owl does to the moon complain Of such as, wandering near her secret bower, Molest her ancient, solitary reign.
From Voices for the Speechless by Firth, Abraham
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tow'r The moping owl does to the moon complain Of such as, wandering near her secret bow'r, Molest her ancient solitary reign.
From Poems Every Child Should Know The What-Every-Child-Should-Know-Library by Burt, Mary E. (Mary Elizabeth)
Again, in the Elegy: "Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tower The mopeing owl does to the moon complain Of such as, wand'ring near her secret bower, Molest her ancient solitary reign."
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
