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 actor followed her around at several events related to the wedding, eventually caressing the back of her arm and pressing his knee against hers under the table.
—
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for caress
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for caress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caress
Verb
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The Hall of Fame forward and all-time franchise leader in nearly every major statistical category walked into the arena with Timberwolves co-owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez after player introductions, receiving a roar from the crowd and patting his heart with his hand.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Form into a ball, then pat out to approximately 3/4- inch thickness.—
Judy Bart Kancigor,
Oc Register,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Elton John doing a handstand on his keyboard, Roger Daltrey stroking a microphone, Ian Anderson making the flute somehow look cool — his pictures became a means of connection for fans.—
David Di Sabatino,
SPIN,
3 Apr. 2026
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At first, Hanke thought Miyabi was just stroking his ego.—
Lucia Cheng,
Des Moines Register,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Caress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caress. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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