Which to use
“molest” is a verb and “molester” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #40,346
- “molest” frequency rank
- #41,770
- “molester” frequency rank
- 82116
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | molest | molester |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | To sexually assault or sexually harass. | One who molests. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set molest and molester apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: molest is /məˈlɛst/ while molester is /məˈlɛstɚ/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 2 extra letter(s) - “molest” sits inside “molester”, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 82116, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
molest is recorded at frequency rank #40,346, classified as averb, pronounced /məˈlɛst/. molester is at rank #41,770, tagged as anoun, pronounced /məˈlɛstɚ/.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 82116, this pair ranks #16,362 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of molest vs molester
Shared letters: elmost. Private to "molest": -. Private to "molester": r.
"molest" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCC · "molester" · 8 letters · shape CVCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "molest" and "molester" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "molest" or "molester"?
Remembering molest vs molester
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “molest”; for a noun, it's “molester”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “molest” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable