1
as in cuddles
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 brushes
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
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Recent Examples of kisses
Everyone offers their name and kisses everyone else, and women scrape their lipstick off other people’s cheeks.
—
Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
Sofia Carson blows kisses to the camera during the amfAR Gala Cannes 2026 at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 21.
—People Staff, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
According to legend, anyone who kisses it will be granted the gift of gab.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 22 May 2026
Give extra love, hugs, and kisses When adjusting to change, some extra one-on-one attention and a few more daily cuddles and kisses can be helpful, for young children and older ones.
—Corinne Schuman, Parents, 22 May 2026
His son Bret recalled his father’s postgame smiles, hugs and kisses with his wife of 58 years Debbie.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 26 Apr. 2026
The neighborhood/area The resort kisses the outskirts of what’s considered Boca Raton’s downtown.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Apr. 2026
Points are awarded by zone, from 0 to 5; gutter balls subtract a point, while a ball that kisses the stake earns a perfect 10.
—Brittany Anas, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2026
Robert Ballard hugs and kisses family members before deployment.
—Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
Sofia Carson blows kisses to the camera during the amfAR Gala Cannes 2026 at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 21.
—People Staff, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
According to legend, anyone who kisses it will be granted the gift of gab.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 22 May 2026
Give extra love, hugs, and kisses When adjusting to change, some extra one-on-one attention and a few more daily cuddles and kisses can be helpful, for young children and older ones.
—Corinne Schuman, Parents, 22 May 2026
His son Bret recalled his father’s postgame smiles, hugs and kisses with his wife of 58 years Debbie.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 26 Apr. 2026
The neighborhood/area The resort kisses the outskirts of what’s considered Boca Raton’s downtown.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Apr. 2026
Points are awarded by zone, from 0 to 5; gutter balls subtract a point, while a ball that kisses the stake earns a perfect 10.
—Brittany Anas, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2026
Robert Ballard hugs and kisses family members before deployment.
—Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kisses
Verb
-
Queen Camilla gets some puppy cuddles during a visit to Newtownards, Northern Ireland, on May 21.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
25 May 2026
-
Photos from the day showed passengers, airport staff and flight attendants meeting the puppies and giving them cuddles — a welcome sight for anyone passing through.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Bryce Harper, star slugger, the Phillie Phanatic's best friend, and baseball hero to children of all ages, brushes his teeth.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
-
These stocks have climbed for weeks as the market brushes off the narrative that AI is a threat to the cybersecurity industry.—
Morgan Chittum,Matthew J. Belvedere,
CNBC,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Swift and Styles set tongues wagging after they were spotted by paparazzi strolling together in November 2012, and things seemed even more heated after they were photographed sharing some New Year’s Eve smooches the following month.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Wilhelm enters the room, removes most of his clothing and gets into bed with her, slaps her, pushes her away and then caresses her face and cradles her.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
And through all this, Saariaho’s elaborately beautiful orchestration scintillates, jabs, caresses, and swerves, giving all that vivid misery a sheen of lyric glamour.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This affectionate boy adores people, thrives on human attention and will happily lean in for pets, snuggles or just to be close.—
Maryanne Dell,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Inside the stables, the family’s other two horses greeted Troy with affectionate sniffs, snuggles and neighs.—
Madeline King,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The sundeck hugs a 100-foot-long swimming pool, and there’s an indoor option in the spa for the cooler months.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
All of these popular spots sit right off Route 1, the coastal alternative road that winds through the state and hugs the Atlantic from the southern border with New Hampshire all the way north to the Canadian border.—
Jacqueline Dole,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kisses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kisses. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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