caressing

[kuh-res-ing]

adjective

1. gently touching, patting, or stroking a person or thing to show affection.

   She stroked my face—temple, cheek, chin, and then up the other side in a caressing, sweeping gesture.

2. touching or seeming to touch a person or thing lightly and in a way that calms or soothes.

   Over and over again, I repeated the figures until they became a caressing swash of sound inside my head and hummed me finally to sleep.

Other Word Forms

• caressingly adverb
• uncaressing adjective
• uncaressingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of caressing¹

caress ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

He’s been assembled from the choicest bits of man flesh to show off the talent of his creator, not so different from Steve Jobs caressing samples of brushed aluminum.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

As has been reported before, she claimed he was "particularly attentive to my feet, caressing my toes and licking my arches".

Read more on BBC

The video, which was partly recorded inside the prison, shows him caressing a fighting cockerel and freely chatting to fellow inmates.

Read more on BBC

His opener - the competition's fastest goal so far - had the hallmarks of a player who had regained his confidence, taking a touch and caressing a fine finish into the far corner.

Read more on BBC

This alleged improv moment led to Baldoni "caressing Ms. Lively with his mouth in a way that had nothing to do with their roles."

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• bland 
• comfortable 
• cool 
• delicate 
• dull 
• gentle 
• low 
• mellow 
• mild 
• muted 
• pastel 
• quiet 
• smooth 
• soothing 
• subdued 
• sweet