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
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fondling
Verb
-
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
-
One game, especially one so dominated by the defense, certainly isn’t enough to decide whether this is even an issue, but noted QB whisperer O’Connell has to be stroking his chin.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
22 Sep. 2025
-
But Ethan’s out there getting loose and stroking it.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In the video, officers are seen repeatedly patting the baby's back until Makai -- who was wearing pajamas adorned with police cars -- was able to breathe on his own.—
Megan Forrester,
ABC News,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Without missing a beat, the teen jumped into action, performing the Heimlich maneuver and patting the customer on the back before the man sat back down.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Fondling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fondling. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share