massage
Americannoun
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the act or art of treating the body by rubbing, kneading, patting, or the like, to stimulate circulation, increase suppleness, relieve tension, etc.
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Slang. attentive or indulgent treatment; pampering.
ego massage.
verb (used with object)
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to treat by massage.
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Slang. to treat with special care and attention; coddle or pamper.
The store massages its regular customers with gifts and private sales.
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Informal.
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to manipulate, maneuver, or handle skillfully.
to massage a bill through the Senate.
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to manipulate, organize, or rearrange (data, figures, or the like) to produce a specific result, especially a favorable one.
The auditors discovered that the company had massaged the books.
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noun
verb
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to give a massage to
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to treat (stiffness, aches, etc) by a massage
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to manipulate (statistics, data, etc) so that they appear to support a particular interpretation or to be better than they are; doctor
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to boost someone's sense of self-esteem by flattery
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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massagesimple
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massagessimple
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have massagedperfect
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has massagedperfect
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am massagingprogressive
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are massagingprogressive
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is massagingprogressive
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have been massagingperfect progressive
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has been massagingperfect progressive
Past
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massagedsimple
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had massagedperfect
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was massagingprogressive
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were massagingprogressive
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had been massagingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of massage
1875–80; < French, equivalent to mass ( er ) to massage (< Arabic massa to handle) + -age -age
Explanation
When someone rubs your muscles to help relax them, that's a massage. Feels good, doesn't it? When someone tells you how great you are to gain favor, they massage your ego. Not bad, either. The word massage has a mysterious background, possibly coming from the Arabic massa, meaning "to touch," finding its way to 19th Century France by way of Napoleon. Would you accept a foot massage from Napoleon? Or, it might have worked its way to France from India, where amassar carries the meaning "knead." The year 1913 saw the first massage parlor, which was really a brothel. Today massage is a recognized form of physical therapy and is, of course, practiced by amateurs too. A little to the left, please.
Vocabulary lists containing massage
Brown Girl Dreaming
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English Words Derived from French, List 5
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Towers Falling
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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.
See Examples For:
After breaking back into the top 200 earlier this month, Swan received a wildcard for Wimbledon - a moment that left her crying on a massage table as she received treatment.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
The theater is complete with massage chairs and a “dedicated popcorn station.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
My seasonal body treatment included exfoliation, massage and aromatherapy, making it one of the most relaxing experiences of the trip.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
I got a delightful 10-minute head and neck massage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
When Bobby was experiencing severe pain in his legs, Skulason began to massage them, using the back of his hand.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
About 30% of that total comes from add-on services such as massages and personal training sessions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
Located at Rosedale Center, the spa offers nail services alongside massages, facials and body treatments in a calm, welcoming setting.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
However, in February whistleblowing retired civil servants told the BBC that Mountbatten-Windsor charged taxpayers for excessive travel costs and massages while working in the UK trade envoy role.
From BBC ● May 21, 2026
This year, attendees can sign up for free massages, red light therapy sessions, lymphatic drainage boots, and—thanks in part to a partnership with LEGO—partake in a series of analog “adult play” installations.
From Slate ● May 8, 2026
“We didn’t think it would be quite so rigid here,” Fulvia explains to us as she massages Plutarch’s shoulders.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Petty crimes dropped, as did homicides, according to official data, though some disputed the data as possibly massaged to benefit authorities.
From Barron's ● May 10, 2026
The goal is capital gain, and there’s nothing and no one that can’t be quite literally massaged in the pursuit of that target.
From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2026
A soft hand takes the place of the towels at my feet and calves while warm oils are simultaneously dripped onto my hair and massaged into my scalp.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2025
It was clear during the restart of his match that Shelton was not able to produce his usual high-powered serves — even before his left shoulder was massaged by a trainer.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 1, 2024
He massaged the bridge of his nose, trying to keep it in.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
As self-driving cars become more feasible, companies are exploring enhanced in-car experiences such as lie-flat massaging seats, mobile theaters and features that teach you about your surroundings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 26, 2025
Standing around a kitchen island with a small group of other food writers, I pull on a pair of plastic gloves and begin massaging a bright red paste into wedges of cabbage.
From BBC ● Dec. 13, 2025
It took some massaging of the situation to get Sienna back on board with becoming a Bruin.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2025
The republic’s consuls and other officers became Augustus’ lapdogs, but he preserved their venerable offices and titles “with anxious care,” seeming to consult them and massaging their vanity.
From Salon ● Feb. 17, 2025
Nali asked, massaging her lower back with her knuckles.
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
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.
