as in to pat
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
gently caressed her hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of caress
The men caress fruit, sometimes toying with a stem on their tongue.
—
Leah Asmelash, CNN, 9 Mar. 2025
But Gallardo clandestinely documented her experience there; in the exhibition, a short, lo-fi video shows her hands slowly caressing those of Estela, an ailing senior citizen and former street worker who lived at Casa Xochiquetzal.
—Fabiola Iza, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
On Valentines Day, Rihanna sat with Mayers during another break, gently caressing his cheek while the couple sat on a courtroom bench, surrounded by beefy security guards.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2025
Loving caresses, shared laughing and group singing release a flood of native feel-good opioids.
—Moises Velasquez-Manoff Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Zak Mouton, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for caress
Leah Asmelash, CNN, 9 Mar. 2025
But Gallardo clandestinely documented her experience there; in the exhibition, a short, lo-fi video shows her hands slowly caressing those of Estela, an ailing senior citizen and former street worker who lived at Casa Xochiquetzal.
—Fabiola Iza, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
On Valentines Day, Rihanna sat with Mayers during another break, gently caressing his cheek while the couple sat on a courtroom bench, surrounded by beefy security guards.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2025
Loving caresses, shared laughing and group singing release a flood of native feel-good opioids.
—Moises Velasquez-Manoff Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Zak Mouton, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for caress
Cite this Entry
“Caress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caress. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share