pawing

present participle of paw

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pawing
Verb
  • West begins nuzzling her, and the two kiss.
    Marlow Stern, Variety, 20 May 2026
  • In the end, an Australian photographer claimed the top prize for capturing a tender moment of elephant seal pups nuzzling in a rockpool.
    Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • For someone with a flexible foot or a narrow forefoot where the toes tend to crowd each other, separating the big toe from the second toe can reduce rubbing and irritation.
    Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The forward has also trademarked his nickname ‘Cold Palmer’, a nod to his celebration, crossing and rubbing his arms as though to warm himself up.
    Hannah Vanbiber, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • There was only one other visitor, another mother stroking another small head.
    Fran Moreland Johns, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
  • Alongside Cruise feeding and stroking his dying cat while walking around his mansion with his gut hanging out, there are shots of planes readying for battle and collapsing polar ice caps.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • In the snap, Portman, who’s expecting her third baby, her first with partner Tanguy Destable, could be seen standing in front of an apartment balcony in an oversized blue button-down, caressing her stomach.
    Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Verb
  • The day before, he was accused of kissing and fondling a 15-year-old girl who was on the team, KTUL reported.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
  • On the same day Gilson sought protection, the mother of a 15-year-old girl filed a separate protective order alleging Duffey, a youth basketball coach, was seen kissing and fondling the teen while alone with her.
    Staff reports, Oklahoman, 25 July 2026
Verb
  • In the trailer, Reinhart‘s Olive is shown spontaneously kissing Bateman‘s Adam — a notable Easter egg to the book cover of Hazelwood‘s bestseller — so her best friend Anh can see them.
    Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Among the snapshots were lots of sweet moments with Turner, including photos of the actor kissing her on the cheek as the newlyweds enjoyed time together in the countryside.
    Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • As the end approached, families moved out, one at a time, hugging and saying goodbyes to each other outside their dorms.
    Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Lively included photos of herself embracing Reynolds, as well as a picture where she could be seen hugging one of her daughters.
    Hannah Malach, InStyle, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • This concludes a much more low-key episode than the pilot but one that keeps its characters in full view while nudging each mystery carefully forward.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Fifty years in the shadows, gently nudging Southland kids into the light.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pawing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pawing. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster