molest

verb

Definition of molestnext
as in to mistreat

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of molest An Oroville man and accused cult leader was sentenced to 225 years in prison Tuesday for molesting four young girls and raping two women from the group, authorities said. — Seamus Bozeman, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026 According to the National Park Service, a pet running at large and molesting wildlife may be put down if necessary for public safety or wildlife protection. — Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026 From that one girl’s story, police learned that Epstein had been molesting dozens of girls from a West Palm Beach high school. — Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026 The flurry of headlines about what was left out of the film—most obviously, the 1993 lawsuit that accused Jackson of molesting a 13-year-old, and subsequent lawsuits alleging similar abuse—also haven’t mattered. — Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for molest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for molest
  1. mistreat
  2. violate
  3. harass
  4. manhandle
  5. maltreat
  6. brutalize
  7. injure
  8. bully
Verb
  • Ever since these rideshare companies began in the early 2010s, they have been scrutinized for underpaying and mistreating drivers.
    — Cyrus Farivar, ArsTechnica, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Ultimately, the show attempts to draw a parallel between Lizzie Borden and Aileen Wuornos, portraying them as two women abused and mistreated by society who dared to fight back.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of mistreat
Verb
  • The government characterized Lemon as part of the demonstration, arguing his actions at a church crossed the line from a reporting to a protesting role, violating the First Amendment right to worship and freedom of religion.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Advisors who do have a fiduciary duty and who violate that responsibility can be subject to fairly serious consequences, including regulatory penalties, civil liabilities and criminal charges.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of violate
Verb
  • Frances Staudt chose not to play against a biological male in a high school basketball game and said she gets harassed every day in her school's hallways because of her decision.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Federal authorities on Thursday charged a Boston-area man with harassing Katie Miller, the conservative podcaster and wife of senior White House aide Stephen Miller, in a case that sparked a heated debate among prosecutors and within the FBI.
    — Jeremy Roebuck, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of harass
Verb
  • Hours later, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, announced the suspension of Acosta’s press pass, and, for good measure, falsely accused him of manhandling the aide who wanted the mike back.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2026
  • He was brought to the prison infirmary, where numerous guards surrounded, punched, kicked, choked, dropped and manhandled him.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of manhandle
Verb
  • Dependency courts most often involve children who have been removed from parents because they were neglected, abandoned or maltreated.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 June 2026
  • There are bosses in companies that maltreat their workers globally.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Definition of maltreat
Verb
  • Allegations of abuse, inmates being brutalized by jailers, and dire conditions have plagued the facility for years, leading some county leaders, former sheriffs and civil rights advocates to call for the jail to be closed.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Because they’ve been brutalized by the same machinery of repression.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of brutalize
Verb
  • Not only does Jeong-yo have an emotional connection to his music performance that Pi-o struggles to find himself, but Pi-o has injured his pinky in the leadup to the final performance, thanks to his obsessive practicing.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Someone else got stabbed, and two other people were allegedly injured.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of injure
Verb
  • Concerns over bullying on campus, as well as a lack of security, have also been raised.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The big lefty is comfortable stepping away from the basket but can also bully his way to the bucket.
    — CJ Moore, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of bully

Browse Nearby Words

moles
molest
molestation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Molest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/molest. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All