massage
Americannoun
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massages
plural
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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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massages,
present (3rd person singular)
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massaged,
past participle, past
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massaging
present participle
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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
-
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
-
have been massagingperfect progressive
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has been massagingperfect progressive
Past
-
massagedsimple
-
had massagedperfect
-
was massagingprogressive
-
were massagingprogressive
-
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:
Social media and professional sport have helped popularize everything from ice baths and compression garments to massage and recovery supplements.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
“The primary suite is a private retreat featuring a fireplace, secluded deck, dual spa-inspired baths, individual walk-in closets, a Sitting Room, and dedicated massage and salon rooms,” the listing adds.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
Then begins the methodical massage in circular motions seemingly draining fluid away.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
And even the go-for-broke performance of Mr. Ribisi, with its barely contained insanity, requires something to massage our sympathies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
Of course for some Everesters myriad other, less virtuous, motives came into play, as well: minor celebrity, career advancement, ego massage, ordinary bragging rights, filthy lucre.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
Sources told NBC News that Combs paid inmates to clean and cook special meals for him, including curry chicken, pizza and empanadas, and that the hip-hop and R&B music producer also receives Chinese-style massages.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
When I wasn’t getting massages or attending fitness classes included in my program, I joined free paddleboard sessions and evening movie screenings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
He adds that these massages can be a "safe way" to relieve symptoms for conditions like lymphoedema but are not suitable for some people with pre-existing medical conditions.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Passengers can pay to get access to massages and manicures as well as chef-prepared meals while they wait to board.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
I slip one hand inside on the right, and just like the weighted blanket, warm water massages my hands, followed by warm air.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
Yevgeny Prigozhin massaged his son’s public persona to better suit a future mercenary boss.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
The filler is then massaged to give an even look, which the patient continues as home.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
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
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
He put his palms against the small of his back and massaged the tired muscles.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
It may well be that “High Value Target” is compressing its timeline and massaging Nixon’s contributions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
Chen began by massaging my scalp for about 10 minutes, as I tried not to fall asleep.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2026
"This is the Zygopush," Marvin tells me, while pressing his thumbs directly under his cheekbones and massaging upwards towards his ears in an attempt to hollow out his cheeks.
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2026
When you’re wringing billions of dollars in profits out of the sickly, you’ve got to put some money into massaging public opinion.
From Slate ● Mar. 3, 2025
Camille stands, grunting and massaging her lower back like an old lady.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
