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
arkansasonline.com, 10 July 2025
Every single person who worked on the film caressed and massaged this sequence, including through post.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 5 July 2025
arkansasonline.com, 10 July 2025
Tired of men and feeling like something was missing, the narrator, who had dreamed for a long time of experiencing a woman’s loving caress, spent the night with the stranger.
—Kellie B. Gormly, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for caress
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Verb
The camera caresses her, slicing her body into limbs, arcs, glints of effort.
—arkansasonline.com, 10 July 2025
Every single person who worked on the film caressed and massaged this sequence, including through post.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 5 July 2025
Noun
These films borrowed heavily from Lyne’s visual grammar: slow-motion caresses, gauzy lighting, breathless tension between suggestion and exposure.
—arkansasonline.com, 10 July 2025
Tired of men and feeling like something was missing, the narrator, who had dreamed for a long time of experiencing a woman’s loving caress, spent the night with the stranger.
—Kellie B. Gormly, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 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 25 Jul. 2025.
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