Skip to main content
Dictionary
Store
Blog
World
Help
Advertise
Chat
System Status
Information Collection Notice
Trademark Concerns
reCAPTCHA Privacy
Terms of Service
reCAPTCHA Terms
Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Report a Bug
Data Request
Contact Us
Security
DMCA
© 1999–2026 Urban Dictionary ®
Mugs
Tees
Hoodies
Pro Customization
Create unique products with your own words and definitions
Preview
Personalize Your Design
Your Word
Your Definition
A person inside a correctional facility—most often a guard, but sometimes a predatory inmate—who deliberately builds an emotional bond with a target (inmate or fellow guard) to later manipulate, exploit, or abuse them. Prison grooming mirrors patterns seen in child sexual abuse: offering special attention, gifts, or protection; isolating the target from others; testing boundaries with “small” asks; and normalizing inappropriate behavior. Once trust is established, the groomer escalates to sexual or material exploitation, knowing the target may feel gratitude, dependence, or shame. Prison groomers rely on the power imbalance inherent to incarceration.
Text fits
Save
Cancel