EN

Synonyms for caressing

  • noun

Most common

kissing hugging petting fondling billing and cooing

All synonyms

Noun

1. Fondling

fondling, kissing, hugging, petting, cuddling, snuggling, necking, dalliance

Other

billing and cooing

Definitions

  1. n. 1

    A caress.

Related words

Phrases
caressing name

Forms

Plural
caressings → fondlings, kissings, huggings, pettings…

Choose the right word

Caressing or Fondling?

Fondling is always by touch; caressing may be also by words, or other tender and pleasing attentions.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

  • kissing Tom said he saw Mary kissing John behind the barn.
  • hugging Jessica saw a photo of John hugging another woman.
  • petting Stefan started petting Isabella's German Shepherd.
  • fondling Yanni was fondling Skura's breasts and masturbating.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
caressingrising
kissingrising
huggingrising
pettingrising
fondlingrising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

7 letters
kissing2, hugging2, petting2, necking
8 letters
cuddling2, fondling3
9 letters
snuggling, dalliance3

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (kissing2 = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français
effleurement
Español
roce