caressing

[kuh-res-ing] / kəˈrɛs ɪŋ /

ADJECTIVE

soft

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bland comfortable cool delicate dull gentle low mellow mild muted pastel quiet smooth soothing subdued sweet

STRONG

diffuse

WEAK

ashen balmy cushy dim dimmed dulcet dusky hazy lenient light low-key mellifluous melodious misty murmured pale pallid pleasing restful shaded sober tinted toned-down twilight understated wan whispered

Antonyms

STRONGEST

agitated boisterous excited harsh loud rough strong troubled violent

WEAK

hard severe smart stern strict

NOUN

kissing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

embracing

STRONG

bussing necking parking petting smooching spooning

WEAK

lovemaking making out sucking face

NOUN

necking

Synonyms

STRONG

canoodling cuddling embracing fondling lovemaking parking petting smooching

WEAK

making love making out sucking face

NOUN

tickling

Synonyms

STRONG

stroking titillation

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I even ponied up for a pay-per-view a few years back to see Mayweather spend eight rounds gently caressing Jake’s overmatched older brother, Logan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

Jareth is an illusionist as beguiling and seductive as he is sinister, caressing bubbles and gravity-defiant glass spheres with liquid grace.

From Salon • Jan. 24, 2026

The video, which was partly recorded inside the prison, shows him caressing a fighting cockerel and freely chatting to fellow inmates.

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2025

I no longer notice the flashes of lime green tape caressing door frames, encircling bathroom floors and smothering naked outlets.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2024

The neighbors showed one another with their thumbs how big the pearl was, and they made little caressing gestures to show how lovely it was.

From "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck

caressing

Example Sentences

Related Words