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