as in to pat
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
gently caressed her hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of caress
Amid the sharper angles and more geometric corsetry the house is known for, there’s diaphanous silhouettes and undulating shapes that can caress the bump.
—
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 7 Dec. 2025
In a video shared by the Broncos from the unveiling, Smith is seen carefully caressed the statue of her son's face just after the curtain drops.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Then Jennifer Tilly’s hand gently caresses Gina Gershon’s face from her cheek down to her chin.
—James Factora, Them., 26 Sep. 2025
The Young Pope star was seen caressing Coan’s back and whispering in her ear.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for caress
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 7 Dec. 2025
In a video shared by the Broncos from the unveiling, Smith is seen carefully caressed the statue of her son's face just after the curtain drops.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Then Jennifer Tilly’s hand gently caresses Gina Gershon’s face from her cheek down to her chin.
—James Factora, Them., 26 Sep. 2025
The Young Pope star was seen caressing Coan’s back and whispering in her ear.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for caress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caress
Verb
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After the Bears' improbable comeback in the regular season, the handshake lasted a tad longer, as both coaches patted each other on the arm before going their separate ways.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
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The quarterback stood back there for three seconds and patted the ball and threw it down the field.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For an artisanal twist, look no further than Ezcaray Matisse throw that looks as if Georgia O’Keeffe applied the paint brush strokes herself.—
Kristine Hansen,
Architectural Digest,
8 Jan. 2026
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Allen has created a hall of mirrors, then, in which we’re supposed to stroke our chins and perhaps wink-wink at Baum’s meta commentary about the dangers of confusing the artist with the man … But so what?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Caress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caress. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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