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 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
Verb
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She was later reunited with her dog, stroking him in stunned silence before being taken to the hospital.—
Danielle Bacher,
PEOPLE,
20 Jan. 2026
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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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The dog then slumped into the boat, with one crew member gently patting it in comfort.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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Harry watched on, sitting next to Damian, and sometimes patting his back when Hurley became emotional, per Reuters.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
22 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Fondling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fondling. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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