kiss

verb

ˈkis How to pronounce kiss (audio)
Definition of kissnext
1
as in to cuddle
to touch one another with the lips as a sign of love it's traditional for couples to kiss under the mistletoe at Christmastime

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to brush
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing a gentle breeze kissing the water's surface

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of kiss Tallulah Willis shared a rare new photo with her father on Instagram on Monday, showing her kissing the actor on the forehead while gently holding his head. — ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026 Where a milk chocolate brown once kissed and colored her long, blended layers, a dark brown — almost black — shade now stood. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026 Her painful confession is that her husband kissed another woman. — Joan Kron, Allure, 28 Sep. 2026 Ledger jumped, but then immediately turned and cupped Szubanski’s face before kissing her. — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for kiss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kiss
  1. cuddle
  2. brush
  3. smooch
  4. caress
  5. hug
  6. touch
  7. snuggle
Verb
  • There’s also a large firepit for cuddling up under the stars with a cocktail or two.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Kye and the girl start to meet once or twice a week in the girl’s apartment, watching TV and cuddling and getting takeout.
    — S. C. Cornell, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of cuddle
Verb
  • Chief executives of 737 Max 10 customers, Alaska Airlines and Ryanair, earlier this week brushed off concerns about the aircraft’s certification delays.
    — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Some dentists now frame brushing as a cognitive-aging habit, not a cosmetic one.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of brush
Verb
  • In July, Powell also shared a sweet photo of himself and Randolph smooching in a Fourth of July photo dump.
    — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The vinyl edition comes with some special gatefold artwork that appears to show Winter smooching Carnegie Hall’s namesake and builder, Andrew Carnegie.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of smooch
Verb
  • Breasts are caressed and thighs crisscross; kisses are planted, and occasionally there’s a glimpse of something more graphic.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • In one video, pop singer Madison Beer was seen caressing Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert's face as if the two were shooting a scene straight out of a reality show.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of caress
Verb
  • After the game, where Wilson dominated yet again, leading all scorers with 36 points, along with 10 rebounds, Wilson was seen hugging team owner Mark Davis, as well as friends, and her mother, Eva Rakes Wilson.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • At least that seems to be the bet Meta and OpenAI are making amid all the AI doomerism talk, giving their new AI agents faces people might want to hug.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of hug
Verb
  • Reiki sessions are therapeutic and intuitive, as the practitioner hardly touches the body, and aromatic local herbs and spices are put to use during the two-hour Royal Balinese Boreh treatment that references centuries-old rituals.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In the tape of the 9-1-1 call, Randolph can be heard disregarding paramedic’s orders, giving Causse chest compressions even after he was instructed to not touch the body.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of touch
Verb
  • On Friday, September 11, the 16-time Grammy winner—whose real name is Stefani Germanotta—was photographed with her fiancé, Michael Polansky, and their child, who was snuggled against Gaga’s chest in a baby carrier.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The new parents were photographed last week on a walk with the infant in a front carrier, snuggled close to the superstar.
    — Martha Ross, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of snuggle

Phrases Containing kiss

Browse Nearby Words

kismets
kiss
kissable
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Cite this Entry

“Kiss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kiss. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on kiss

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kiss

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