massage

verb

Definition of massagenext
as in to flatter
to praise too much a candidate who knows that you have to massage the voters if you want to get elected

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 massage Instead, an equipment staffer lugged a bag of balls into a side training room and was allotted an hour to massage the footballs to the preferred specifications. — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 24 July 2026 And slowly, Circe begins to massage and mold Odysseus’ crew into literal pigs. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 20 July 2026 The solutions being proposed and inane rhetoric from people such as Johnson are just massaging the symptoms rather than dealing with the real problems. — Ronald J. Allen, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026 To experience its silky-smooth results, gently massage the serum into your scalp when your hair is dry or towel-dried post-shower—and, cue the compliments! — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for massage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for massage
  1. stroke
  2. praise
  3. congratulate
  4. puff
  5. butter up
  6. flatter
Verb
  • Afterwards, as Cheogyal puts it, the spiritual leader stroked his head with compassion.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Leaders do not have the luxury of sitting in the corner contemplating their feelings or hoping someone will stroke their egos.
    — Chris Adams, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of stroke
Verb
  • Their videos work as a modern take on the narcocorridos – ballads about the trafficking underworld that drug kingpins used to praise themselves and communicate with each other, said security expert Alexei Chévez.
    — Rey Rodríguez, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The state Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday also praised samgyetang, a chicken soup stuffed with ginseng, glutinous rice and jujubes, reporting that Pyongyang restaurants were attracting customers seeking relief from the heat.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of praise
Verb
  • Carr issued a statement congratulating Thumann Severs but did not express any wish for a five-member commission.
    — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Chances are you answer emails while sitting in meetings, listen to podcasts while exercising, scroll your phone while standing in line and congratulate ourselves for squeezing more into every hour.
    — Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of congratulate
Verb
  • Throughout Thursday’s ruling, Judge Bryan Biedscheid compared Meta and its suite of apps to a factory — and its harm to puffing toxins into the air.
    — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Everybody gets a chance to bicker and puff their chest or almost get in a fight with somebody else in the room and reacquaint themselves with the audience.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of puff
Verb
  • As the lots rolled by, Mosoff watched quietly, still fortified by the exclusive tasting laid on to butter up bidders prior to the action.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 25 May 2026
  • Ben spends the afternoon buttering up Ellie and praising her cake-icing skills, and even gives her the task of decorating the wedding cake.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of butter up
Verb
  • Older ones look more like oyster shells and are broader and flatter.
    — Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Rigor in value measurement requires a true baseline, a metric the customer agrees on (not one that flatters you), and public results with their name on it.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of flatter

Browse Nearby Words

massacring
massage
massaged
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Massage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/massage. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on massage

Nglish: Translation of massage for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about massage

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