as in caressing
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
a cat who loves to be petted
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of petting
Ackerman Family Farms opens to the public every festival season, offering baby goats for petting and decorative pumpkins for purchase.
—
Katherine Laidlaw, HubSpot, 5 Sep. 2025
Some included petting elephants, meditating, exploring the bustling streets of Tokyo, and exploring the vibrant nature Japan has to offer.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 4 Sep. 2025
To become your dog's favorite, focus on positive interactions, like feeding, playing, walking, petting, and spending quality time together.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
My husband whiled away the time petting the shop’s playful kitten, just one of the many cats this store has fostered.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
Fall is also prime time for family-friendly fun, with corn mazes, petting farms, and apple picking at local orchards.
—Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2025
The Trigger Warning star shared more photos including a shot of Hayes running on a field outdoors during the Easter egg hunt, a group of totes filled with eggs and Hayes petting a goat during their family outing.
—Kayla Grant, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025
They were then categorized by behavior, including jumps, belly rolls, tail slaps, bow riding and even petting.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
The Voice coach also shared a handful of photos of herself and Brandon, including one snap of them fishing together, and another of the pair smiling while petting a chicken.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 13 Aug. 2025
Katherine Laidlaw, HubSpot, 5 Sep. 2025
Some included petting elephants, meditating, exploring the bustling streets of Tokyo, and exploring the vibrant nature Japan has to offer.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 4 Sep. 2025
To become your dog's favorite, focus on positive interactions, like feeding, playing, walking, petting, and spending quality time together.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
My husband whiled away the time petting the shop’s playful kitten, just one of the many cats this store has fostered.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
Fall is also prime time for family-friendly fun, with corn mazes, petting farms, and apple picking at local orchards.
—Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2025
The Trigger Warning star shared more photos including a shot of Hayes running on a field outdoors during the Easter egg hunt, a group of totes filled with eggs and Hayes petting a goat during their family outing.
—Kayla Grant, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025
They were then categorized by behavior, including jumps, belly rolls, tail slaps, bow riding and even petting.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
The Voice coach also shared a handful of photos of herself and Brandon, including one snap of them fishing together, and another of the pair smiling while petting a chicken.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petting
Verb
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The Young Pope star was seen caressing Coan’s back and whispering in her ear.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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The singer was spotted in pictures shared to social media, gently caressing the baby bump of his romantic partner.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
3 Sep. 2019
Verb
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No one wants to follow an ego-stroking social media account with zero content value.—
Peter Boyd,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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In the black-and-white video, Kelly could be seen holding his baby's hand, stroking her fingers.—
Sarah Jones,
People.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Keep your greens crisp by draining, rinsing, and patting them dry before using.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Verywell Health,
2 Sep. 2025
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At times, its puzzle-solving and chaotic arcade shooting felt like patting your head while rubbing your stomach.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petting. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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