as in to pat
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
gently caressed her hair
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of caress
The 39-year-old Nigerian-British actress hit the first official awards show of the season, donning a canary yellow gown and caressing her bump as the cameras flashed.
—
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 11 Jan. 2026
In one instance, Alix leans in to whisper something in his ear while caressing his back.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 2 Jan. 2026
Also starring Jack Palance and Fritz Lang, the behind-the-scenes drama about the making of a movie begins with Bardot lying nude on a bed as her husband (Michel Piccoli) caresses and praises her body.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 28 Dec. 2025
Weeping and caressing the lifeless Rahaf in her arms, the baby’s mother, Hejar Abu Jazar, kept ululating in despair.
—Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for caress
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 11 Jan. 2026
In one instance, Alix leans in to whisper something in his ear while caressing his back.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 2 Jan. 2026
Also starring Jack Palance and Fritz Lang, the behind-the-scenes drama about the making of a movie begins with Bardot lying nude on a bed as her husband (Michel Piccoli) caresses and praises her body.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 28 Dec. 2025
Weeping and caressing the lifeless Rahaf in her arms, the baby’s mother, Hejar Abu Jazar, kept ululating in despair.
—Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for caress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caress
Verb
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While most recipes dollop the biscuits on top, this dough is patted into a rough circle and scored into scone-like wedges.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
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Jansen patted his catcher's mitt on Baumler's chest and the infielders offered their congratulations.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Davidson, a 6-foot-1 freshman, stroked a perfect shot from the right side to send the Trojans (18-13) into a second-round matchup with top seed South Carolina on Monday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
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One contestant in a Travis Kelce butt cut leaped over an ironing board; another held a tape measure to his crotch and stroked it.—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Caress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caress. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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