caressed; caressing; caresses
1
: to treat with tokens of fondness, affection, or kindness : cherish
the regiment was fed and caressed at station after station—
Stephen Crane
Stephen Crane2
a
: to touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner
She caressed the baby's cheek.
b
: to touch or affect as if with a caress
echoes that caress the ear
caresser
noun
1
: an act or expression of kindness or affection : endearment
when the gifts and caresses of mankind shall recompense the toils of study—Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson2
a
: a light stroking, rubbing, or patting
a gentle caress of her shoulder
b
: kiss
She gave him a parting caress.
caressively
adverb
Examples of caress in a Sentence
Verb
She caressed the baby's cheek.
A warm breeze caressed her face.
Noun
She gave the baby's cheek a gentle caress.
Recent Examples on the Web
Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 28 May 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
Ariel Bleicher, Quanta Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Gentle affectionate gestures usually are the prelude to intimacy, like a hand on your back, a caress on the cheek or even just cuddling in bed.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for caress
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Verb
There’s a shot of Michele caressing her face, and another of Christopher fingering his wedding ring.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 28 May 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
Noun
These strangely shaped cells are the reason why the experience of touch is so rich and multifaceted — why a buzzing cell phone feels different from a warm breeze or a lover’s caress, from raindrops or a mother’s kiss.
—Ariel Bleicher, Quanta Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Gentle affectionate gestures usually are the prelude to intimacy, like a hand on your back, a caress on the cheek or even just cuddling in bed.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for caress
Cite this Entry
“Caress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caress. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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