noun
molestation
Unwanted interference or disturbance.
The treaty promised travelers passage without molestation.
Etymology
The Latin verb concerns troubling or annoying someone. The noun names such interference, retaining a broader historical meaning than the sexual-abuse sense prevalent today.
More examples
- The old letter demanded an end to the neighbor’s molestation of the household.
- The historical order forbade molestation of peaceful residents.
- They sought protection from further molestation by the patrols.
Forms
molestation
Similar words
- harassment
- Harassment is repeated unwanted pressure or disturbance; molestation is an older term for interference in this sense.
- interference
- Interference obstructs or intrudes; molestation adds a sense of troublesome unwanted intrusion.