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 WebKrista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 21 May 2024
In the clip, directed by Alfredo Flores, Sparks sings to the sultry R&B track as she's pictured in scenes caressing Isaiah's shoulders and neck — all while his back is turned to the camera.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 21 Oct. 2023
See all Example Sentences for caress 
Verb
The early wake-up call is made a whole lot easier after a great night’s sleep aided by the calming essential oil diffusers and Avocado mattresses in-room accompanied by nature’s ultimate sound machine—waves caressing the shore below.
—Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 21 May 2024
In the clip, directed by Alfredo Flores, Sparks sings to the sultry R&B track as she's pictured in scenes caressing Isaiah's shoulders and neck — all while his back is turned to the camera.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 21 Oct. 2023
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 29 May. 2024.
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