fondling

American  

[fond-ling, fon-dl-ing] / ˈfɒnd lɪŋ, ˈfɒn dl ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of caressing or touching lovingly or tenderly.

   A few of us knitting enthusiasts met yesterday at Yarn Barn for a couple of hours of browsing, yarn fondling, and coffee.

2. the act of molesting someone sexually by touching or caressing.

   The inappropriate groping and fondling from a trusted adult male figure—her mother’s boyfriend—traumatized her.

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adjective

1. touching or caressing in either of these ways.

   She stroked him with gentle, fondling fingers.

Other Word Forms

• fondlingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of fondling

First recorded in 1580–90; fondl(e) ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses; fondl(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective sense

Example Sentences

The hypocrisy is rank enough; in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, the comic-turned-moralizer yells, presumably at the Black parents he disapproves of, “Believe a child when she says somebody’s fondling her!”

From Washington Post • Jan. 30, 2022

The Freuds are well dressed, full of beans, like two celebrities visiting an orphanage, fondling this odd creature as though they are considering devouring her.

From New York Times • Nov. 7, 2019

Ivory doesn't have much success in filling in the elisions, but Guadagnino's direction compounds the superficiality with camerawork that can't resist fondling every surface it encounters.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2018

Instead of accessing the quarter-life crisis through the exploits of a solitary protagonist bumbling and fondling his way up against the limitations society had set for him, this film focused on relationships.

From Slate • Jul. 29, 2014

I have an irrational and totally unlike-me urge to thank that security guard—Irene—but she’s a few feet away and busy fondling someone else’s stuff.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

Related Words

• extravagance
• kindness
• leniency
• permissiveness
• privilege