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mas·sage | \ mə-ˈsäzh 
, -ˈsäj \
, -ˈsäj \Definition of massage
(Entry 1 of 2)
: manipulation of tissues (as by rubbing, kneading, or tapping) with the hand or an instrument for relaxation or therapeutic purposes
gave him a neck massage
massage
verbmassaged; massaging
Definition of massage (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : to subject to massage
2a : to treat flatteringly : blandish
b : manipulate, doctor massaged the data to help his cause
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Synonyms for massage
Synonyms: Verb
- adulate,
- belaud,
- blarney,
- butter up,
- flatter,
- hero-worship,
- honey,
- overpraise,
- puff,
- soft-soap,
- stroke
Examples of massage in a Sentence
Noun
She gave him a neck massage.
using massage to help relax Verb
She massaged her leg until the numbness was gone.
a candidate who knows that you have to massage the voters if you want to get elected
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Service members will get Planet Fitness Black Card member benefits, including access to all the gym equipment and massage beds and chairs, plus this bonus: Bring a workout buddy at no additional charge.
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Trevor Fraser, orlandosentinel.com, "Veterans Day deals: Planet Fitness gives military personnel week of free workouts," 6 Nov. 2019 The 11-year-old told investigators about another time when Davitt was giving her a back massage then began rubbing in an area between her rear end and her groin, documents say.
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Perry Vandell, azcentral, "Records: Inmate filed sexual misconduct complaint against officer before fatal attack," 1 Nov. 2019 The massage beds have lighting under the bed that can change colors to influence one’s spa experience through light.
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Darcel Rockett, chicagotribune.com, "Kohler Waters Spa opens in Lincoln Park and caters to detoxing from city life," 17 Oct. 2019 All five restaurants use local produce, often from the hotel's garden, and the wellness center offers Pilates and reiki and has a heated marble massage bed.
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Ann Abel, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Spas in the U.S. & Around the World: 2019 Readers' Choice Awards," 7 Oct. 2019 Correa spent almost two months on the disabled list from May 29 to late July after one of his ribs was fractured when he was given a massage at his home.
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Steve Schaeffer, Houston Chronicle, "Carlos Correa exits Astros-Tigers game with back discomfort," 19 Aug. 2019 Think of the Dynasty’s grooves as massage beds for your legs, designed to stretch calves and Achilles tendons.
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Outside Online, "The Best Men’s Workout Kit of 2018," 15 May 2018 Correction: An earlier story published in The Villager about a massage business owner contained incorrect information.
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Jeff Forward, Houston Chronicle, "Residents ask Woodlands Development Standards Committee for help with machinery noise," 10 Jan. 2020 Talks focused on branding, social media and entrepreneurship competed with neck massages (sponsored by a car brand), bra giveaways and skin care consultations.
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Flora Tsapovsky, SFChronicle.com, "I spent a year at women’s empowerment conferences: Hear me roar," 8 Jan. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Usually, the ego-massaging moment in swimming comes in races such as the 50- and 100-yard freestyles, where the king and queen of the pool are crowned.
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Terrence Thomas, ExpressNews.com, "Storylines to watch heading into UIL 5A, 6A swimming regionals," 30 Jan. 2020 Pink and green pastels create a placid backdrop on an otherwise chaotic scene: a wide-eyed cat, a woman eating an ice cream cone, almost sensually; hands massaging a back; feet perched on wet rock; a swirling optical illusion.
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Washington Post, "At the Hirshhorn, a showcase of recent acquisitions takes the temperature of the art world," 24 Dec. 2019 For the fitness junkies on your list, a foam roller can help massage away those aches and pains, and REI carries our favorite compact model, the TriggerPoint GRID Foam Roller.
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Isabelle Kagan, USA TODAY, "10 last-minute gifts you can save on at REI right now," 17 Dec. 2019 Inspired by lymphatic eye massages popular in Asia, the handheld device uses T-sonic vibrations to help reduce fine lines, dark circles, and bags.
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Braelyn Wood, Health.com, "The Anti-Aging Face Cleansing Brush Chrissy Teigen Loves Keeps Selling Out—But You Can Still Buy it Here," 2 Dec. 2019 When questioned by police, the man admitted to police that he had kissed, hugged and massaged an 8-year-old relative who was staying with him.
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Evan Frank, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Police found 872 sexual explicit images and videos of children on a Delafield man's computer, complaint says," 23 Oct. 2019 This recipe leaves the kale and cabbage raw, but I would be inclined to either wilt them a little in a large saute pan or at least massage the kale with a little salt and olive oil ahead of time, because that just makes kale taste so much better.
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Carrie Knauer, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Carrie’s Kitchen: Non-soup recipes featuring pumpkin’s tasty cousin, butternut squash," 14 Oct. 2019 Although the government clearly massaged public opinion, the outrage seemed genuine.
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New York Times, "American Basketball vs. Chinese Hardball: Guess Who Won," 13 Oct. 2019 It is called paintless dent repair and involves massaging the dent to work it out.
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Bob Weber, chicagotribune.com, "Motormouth: Paintless dent repair might be the ticket for hail-damaged car," 11 Oct. 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'massage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for massage
massage
noun English Language Learners Definition of massage
(Entry 1 of 2)
: the action of rubbing or pressing someone's body in a way that helps muscles to relax or reduces pain in muscles and joints
massage
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of massage (Entry 2 of 2)
: to rub or press (someone's body) in a way that helps muscles to relax or reduces pain in muscles and joints : to give a massage to (someone or a part of someone's body)
: to change (numbers, data, etc.) in a dishonest way in order to deceive people
See the full definition for massage in the English Language Learners Dictionary
massage
nounmas·sage | \ mə-ˈsäzh \
\Kids Definition of massage
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a soothing treatment of the body done by rubbing, kneading, and tapping
massage
verbmassaged; massaging
Kids Definition of massage (Entry 2 of 2)
: to give a soothing treatment to (the body) by rubbing, stroking, or pressing with the hands
massage
nounmas·sage | \ mə-ˈsäzh , -ˈsäj \
, -ˈsäj \Medical Definition of massage
(Entry 1 of 2)
: manipulation of tissues (as by rubbing, stroking, kneading, or tapping) with the hand or an instrument especially for therapeutic purposes
massage
transitive verbmassaged; massaging
Medical Definition of massage (Entry 2 of 2)
: to treat by means of massage
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Time Traveler for massage
The first known use of massage was circa 1860
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