as in caressing
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
a cat who enjoys being fondled by his loving owners
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fondling
Verb
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The Young Pope star was seen caressing Coan’s back and whispering in her ear.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025 -
The singer was spotted in pictures shared to social media, gently caressing the baby bump of his romantic partner.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
3 Sep. 2019
Verb
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In the black-and-white video, MGK could be seen holding his baby daughter's hand, stroking her fingers.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
25 Nov. 2025
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At one point Eliot entered the TV room and found Abby with her head on Claire’s lap, Claire stroking her hair.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Taken together, the answers provided a sort of battle-damage assessment of the current moment, the kind undertaken while everyone is still patting themselves to figure out which parts survived the explosion intact.—
Susan B. Glasser,
New Yorker,
30 Oct. 2025
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That’s cute, today’s masters of the universe will chuckle while patting your head.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
28 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Fondling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fondling. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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