caress
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
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to touch, pat, or stroke gently to show affection.
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to touch or seem to touch lightly.
The breeze caressed the trees.
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to treat with favor, kindness, etc.
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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caresssimple
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caressessimple
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have caressedperfect
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has caressedperfect
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am caressingprogressive
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are caressingprogressive
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is caressingprogressive
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have been caressingperfect progressive
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has been caressingperfect progressive
Past
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caressedsimple
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had caressedperfect
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was caressingprogressive
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were caressingprogressive
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had been caressingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of caress
First recorded in 1605–15; from French caresse, from Italian carezza, from unattested Vulgar Latin caritia, equivalent to Latin cār(us) “dear” + -itia suffix of abstract nouns; cf. charity
Explanation
To caress someone or something means to stroke it gently in a loving or affectionate manner. Don't you love to caress the soft fur of your pet hamster or cat? The word caress can be either a verb or a noun, both of which refer primarily to the affectionate petting or stroking of another. You can also use caress to mean any sort of kind or loving action, and it can be accomplished by things other than people. The soft wind can caress your skin as you walk towards the ocean’s edge. And who doesn't love the caress of smooth silk sheets against your skin when you get into bed?!
Vocabulary lists containing caress
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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The Secret Life of Bees
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"The Moustache" and "Who We Really Are"
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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.
Instead of the full-throated, Pavarotti-style belt that’s common in this repertoire, Mr. Pati makes a familiar song like “O sole mio” as gentle as a caress.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 1, 2025
The boy and the mom are beloved, but it’s their own face that each is shown to caress.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2024
Longley said: "The first thing you notice here is the silence, and the caress of the sea air."
From BBC • Feb. 12, 2024
Survivors of Sunday’s wreck and relatives of the people who died crumpled over in grief as they sat down to caress their loved one’s coffin.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 1, 2023
My fingers caress the wood and the pegs, which time and touch have worn smooth.
From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
