caressed; caressing; caresses
1
: to treat with tokens of fondness, affection, or kindness : cherish
the regiment was fed and caressed at station after station—
Stephen Crane
Stephen Crane2
a
: to touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner
She caressed the baby's cheek.
b
: to touch or affect as if with a caress
echoes that caress the ear
caresser
noun
1
: an act or expression of kindness or affection : endearment
when the gifts and caresses of mankind shall recompense the toils of study—Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson2
a
: a light stroking, rubbing, or patting
a gentle caress of her shoulder
b
: kiss
She gave him a parting caress.
caressively
adverb
Examples of caress in a Sentence
Verb
She caressed the baby's cheek.
A warm breeze caressed her face.
Noun
She gave the baby's cheek a gentle caress.
Recent Examples on the WebAstrid Kayembe, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2024
Cain’s version keeps the core emotions of the original, but expands them into a nearly 10-minute dreamscape, played at half tempo as Cain’s signature breathy vocals caress every syllable.
—Samantha Riedel, Them, 6 Sep. 2024
Larissa Pham, ARTnews.com, 29 July 2024
Galitzine knows how to touch someone for maximum effect, the gentle-but-firm cupping of Hathaway’s jaw and the smooth caress of her hips.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for caress 
Verb
With a rugged exterior as if it were washed on the salty shores of Venice Beach, this hoodie boasts a fluffy terry lining to caress those new tan lines.
—Astrid Kayembe, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2024
Cain’s version keeps the core emotions of the original, but expands them into a nearly 10-minute dreamscape, played at half tempo as Cain’s signature breathy vocals caress every syllable.
—Samantha Riedel, Them, 6 Sep. 2024
Noun
Syjuco’s hands, alive against the black and white archive, protect the faces of the photographed subjects, restoring their dignity, their private selves; the gesture reads simultaneously as a shield and a caress.
—Larissa Pham, ARTnews.com, 29 July 2024
Galitzine knows how to touch someone for maximum effect, the gentle-but-firm cupping of Hathaway’s jaw and the smooth caress of her hips.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for caress
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'caress.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near caress
Cite this Entry
“Caress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caress. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
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