as in stroked
to praise too much
a candidate who knows that you have to massage the voters if you want to get elected
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Recent Examples of massaged
If previous records massaged her hedonism into silky, professional-grade pop, the sound on WOR$T GIRL is all sinew and scrap metal, a leaner and meaner vehicle for acting out.
—
Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2026
The main specific risk is the potential for nodules or granulomas (small bumps) forming under the skin, especially if improperly placed or massaged.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
Korean scalp treatments often come in lightweight, fast-absorbing liquids, essences, or refreshing tonics designed to be massaged directly into the scalp without leaving hair greasy or weighed down.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 24 Feb. 2026
Rosehip oil can be applied pure to clean, dry skin on both the face and body using a few drops massaged in gently.
—Beatrice Zocchi, Vogue, 19 Feb. 2026
Myricks then applied it on the back of her hand and evenly massaged the product around the face, focusing on areas with texture or larger pores.
—Essence Wiley, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
The other two guys, who are wearing undies when not getting massaged, are giving the lightest and most cursory of touches to either the shoulders or the calves.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026
On her knees, the older woman massaged her scalp then rubbed her elbows.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
The sturdy grooved leaves seem tough at first but, like your back after a trip to the chiropractor, relax and open up once they’re heartily massaged.
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2026
The main specific risk is the potential for nodules or granulomas (small bumps) forming under the skin, especially if improperly placed or massaged.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
Korean scalp treatments often come in lightweight, fast-absorbing liquids, essences, or refreshing tonics designed to be massaged directly into the scalp without leaving hair greasy or weighed down.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 24 Feb. 2026
Rosehip oil can be applied pure to clean, dry skin on both the face and body using a few drops massaged in gently.
—Beatrice Zocchi, Vogue, 19 Feb. 2026
Myricks then applied it on the back of her hand and evenly massaged the product around the face, focusing on areas with texture or larger pores.
—Essence Wiley, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
The other two guys, who are wearing undies when not getting massaged, are giving the lightest and most cursory of touches to either the shoulders or the calves.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026
On her knees, the older woman massaged her scalp then rubbed her elbows.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
The sturdy grooved leaves seem tough at first but, like your back after a trip to the chiropractor, relax and open up once they’re heartily massaged.
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for massaged
Verb
-
Davidson, a 6-foot-1 freshman, stroked a perfect shot from the right side to send the Trojans (18-13) into a second-round matchup with top seed South Carolina on Monday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
One contestant in a Travis Kelce butt cut leaped over an ironing board; another held a tape measure to his crotch and stroked it.—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Despite how difficult sitting through the case was, the jurors commended Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez for her fairness — and lead prosecutor Abbe Rifkin for fighting so hard for Quatisha.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
-
At a news conference after the hearing, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney apologized to the families of the victims and commended the authorities who ultimately caught Heuermann.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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All of those Democratic contenders had quickly called on Swalwell to quit the race and praised the women who came forward.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Before Mamdani spoke, the crowd heard from a city transportation department staffer to hear about Mamdani’s pothole filling blitz; a tenant organizer who praised the mayor’s focus on renters; and a mother who boosted his push to expand child care programs in the city.—
Anthony Izaguirre,
Fortune,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His appearance was a surprise even to his colleagues, who stood up and applauded enthusiastically as the audience whooped and hollered.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Attorney Alan Milstein, who led the antitrust litigation of former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett against the NFL’s eligibility rule, applauded the investigation.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Board member Ann Maine congratulated Aitchison after the meeting.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
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The morning show host congratulated Sophia and Isabella — who went to different high schools — on their accomplishments with individual social media posts.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Massaged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/massaged. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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