molestation
Americannoun
-
touching a nonconsenting person, especially a child, in a sexual manner.
He was arrested on charges of lewd and lascivious molestation and child 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.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of molestation
First recorded in 1600–10; molest ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )
Vocabulary lists containing molestation
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.
See Examples For:
The three-part series examines the pop star’s 2005 molestation trial, in which he was acquitted of all charges, and features key players from the trial, including jurors, eyewitnesses and prosecutors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
Supreme Court reversed the state child molestation convictions of McGirt because he is Native American and the crime occurred on a tribal reservation that was never disestablished by Congress.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 21, 2023
Like Jackson, who was acquitted in 2005 of child molestation, Brown is a divisive figure.
From Salon ● Nov. 21, 2022
Hashtags such as #arrestzubair began trending and exactly a month later, Delhi police called him to question him about a photograph he had posted of a man accused of molestation.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2022
He let Johnny have his rig and also wrote him a pass which would prevent any molestation from the Whig mobs and told Cilia to get a similar pass from the British soldiers.
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
Steinsapir, who emphasized that the alleged molestations took place in Jackson’s home, not in workplaces, replied, “Could my law firm tell me who I’m allowed to be with in my own home?”
From Washington Times ● Jul. 26, 2023
Delhi police records released in February showed a small drop in reported rapes and molestations last year, and 10% fall in offences against women overall.
From The Guardian ● May 4, 2017
To this the German version bears little resemblance: there was merely an orderly demonstration against "molestations" of German girls by Polish officials, and Gustav Gruebner was plugged for no reason at all.
From Time Magazine Archive
The Adelantado put a speedy stop to these molestations; but he determined to root out so formidable an adversary from the neighborhood.
From The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (Volume II) by Irving, Washington
They were tired of these molestations, and it was so easy, so convenient to shield one's self against them!
From Empress Josephine An historical sketch of the days of Napoleon by Mühlbach, L. (Luise)
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.
