The term may refer to:

• Adult grooming, befriending an adult, in the negative context of preparing them to accept inappropriate behavior
• Animal grooming behavior
• Child grooming, befriending a child, in the negative context of preparing them to accept inappropriate behavior
• Personal grooming, or preening, in humans and animals, a hygienic activity (caring for physical appearance)

The verb to groom may refer to:

• Social grooming, the activity by which animals and people who live in proximity can bond and reinforce social structures