caress

verb

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ca·ress | \ kə-ˈres

caressed; caressing; caresses

Definition of caress

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to treat with tokens of fondness, affection, or kindness : cherish the regiment was fed and caressed at station after station— Stephen Crane

2a : 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

caress

noun

Definition of caress (Entry 2 of 2)

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

2a : a light stroking, rubbing, or patting a gentle caress of her shoulder

b : kiss She gave him a parting caress.

Other Words from caress Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About caress

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Other Words from caress

Verb

caresser noun

caressingly \ kə-ˈre-siŋ-lē

\ adverb

Noun

caressive \ kə-ˈre-siv

\ adjective

caressively adverb

Synonyms for caress

Synonyms: Verb

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: Verb In the video, Mans and a lover dance with and caress one another tenderly in a Brooklyn brownstone. — Keyaira Boone, Essence, 17 Sep. 2021 Jonathan Ledbetter uses both of his hands to slowly caress the double-AA-battery-sized scars that bookend his right knee. — Omar Kelly, sun-sentinel.com, 18 July 2021 The bubbles caress your palate in a soft embrace, like an old friend’s greeting after a long separation. — Washington Post, 16 July 2021 And then the 6-foot-2, 220-pound officer got physical with her, touching her lower back, chest bumping her, and trying to caress and rub her shoulders. — Marc Freeman, sun-sentinel.com, 13 July 2021 Shepperd and Diego, who were starring in the production, stood in the dark of this space, waiting for their cues to go onstage, Diego said, when Shepperd would touch or caress him, usually on his buttocks or thighs. — Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2021 When the little girl emerged, Ms. Paredes rushed forward to clutch and caress her. — Mark Abramson, New York Times, 9 May 2021 And your solution was to pretend to caress your Teddy bear from childhood? — Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 9 May 2021 Romero's supple fingers caress her Holy Bible pages. — USA Today, 6 Apr. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun But these were some of the area’s best choral professionals, and Dettra coaxed richly expressive singing that could raise the roof but also caress and comfort the ear. — Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 4 Oct. 2021 The soothing elixir of rose water and rose absolute caress skin to calm redness while coconut blossom nectar rejuvenates. — Essence, 20 Sep. 2021 In it, two trans women alternately caress and shove each other, cooing sweet nothings one moment and cursing the next. — New York Times, 2 Sep. 2021 Myles Brady-Davis whispered, lifting Zayn in the air before pulling her into a caress, punctuating it all with a kiss on the cheek. — Grace Hauck, USA Today, 21 May 2021 There are the beautiful, little human touches, like the two hands touching with a gentle caress or a wonderful kiss. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2021 Other major championships have felt his caress and withered. — Eamon Lynch, Detroit Free Press, 10 Jan. 2021 This video captures the remarkable moment when rehabilitator Ellen Kalish gives the owl one final caress before raising her arm to release the bird. — Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2020 The film wants to sell us Jorge and Chris as romantic heroes, but their pickup lines and declarations of love are more cringe than caress. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'caress.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.