- present participle of fondle.
fondling
Americannoun
-
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.
-
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.
adjective
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Boys in the alleyway, fondling marbles in their chilblained fingers or plotting Hurley Burley: these would remain foreign to him,” writes Li.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
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
Two posts later, she’s fondling ill falcons and owls at a Saudi veterinary hospital.
From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2018
This has been going on forever – certainly since Ovid wrote of Pygmalion kissing and fondling his statue until the gods took pity.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 29, 2017
Jake loitered on a corner, fondling the change in his pocket.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
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