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pawing

VERB

touch roughly

Synonyms

STRONGEST

fondle

STRONG

clap claw clutch dig feel finger grab grate grope handle hit maul molest palpate pat rake rasp rub scratch search slap smite stroke

Antonyms

STRONG

guard let go make happy please protect

WEAK

manhandle

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.

The chord progression and clattery percussion on “Dead Women” evoke “Lay Lady Lay,” while Mitski’s song imagines someone pawing through her things after death, trying to uncover her secrets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

Boots, a young black-and-white domestic shorthair cat, lies on his back, pawing playfully at the air.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2025

All he’s doing with this feral pawing for a message is frittering that away.

From Slate • Aug. 3, 2024

Butland kept him out, springing to his right and pawing the shot away.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2024

Dad and Leo are pawing through a mound of paper on the breakfast table, the contents of three or four fat folders from the cabinet above the wall oven.

From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements