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molestation

[ moh-le-stey-shuhn, mol-e- ]
/ ˌmoʊ lɛˈsteɪ ʃən, ˌmɒl ɛ- /
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noun
touching a nonconsenting person, especially a child, in a sexual manner: He was arrested on charges of lewd and lascivious molestation and child abuse.See also sexual abuse.
an act or instance of interference with or violence against someone:Under the terms of the citadel’s surrender, the Persians were allowed to pass without molestation through the midst of the Roman army.
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Origin of molestation

First recorded in 1600–10; molest + -ation

Words nearby molestation

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use molestation in a sentence

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