KISSING Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

kissing

verb

present participle of kiss

as in cuddling

to touch one another with the lips as a sign of love it's traditional for couples to kiss under the mistletoe at Christmastime

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in brushing

to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing a gentle breeze kissing the water's surface

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of kissing The trailer begins as Ziegler’s Mae frantically asks family friend Benny, played by a sleepy Rob Lowe, for help after her big mistake — kissing the wrong brother between Graham Phillips’ Andrew and Elias Kacavas’ Theo. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026 Shortly after, Lara said her friend was kissing the man near a wall before the pair disappeared. — Taylor Galgano, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026 And at Mugler, the mood was set before the first look appeared, with screens beaming erotic footage that included mating snails, sweaty skin, a woman’s tongue and two people kissing. — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026 Across Argentina, fans who grew up watching Messi as their parents watched Maradona now carry him on their skin, in tattoos of him kissing the World Cup trophy. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026 Trinity managed to capture the proposal moment, and the happy couple hugging and kissing afterward. — Kati Weis, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 That’s because the acting Oscar races are really more akin to a political campaign that involves millions of dollars, months of meet-and-greets and kissing metaphorical babies, and dozens of screenings and press appearances. — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 2 Oct. 2026 They were photographed holding hands and kissing during the trip. — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026 Ledger jumped, but then immediately turned and cupped Szubanski’s face before kissing her. — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for kissing

Verb

There’s also a large firepit for cuddling up under the stars with a cocktail or two.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
Kye and the girl start to meet once or twice a week in the girl’s apartment, watching TV and cuddling and getting takeout.

— S. C. Cornell, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of cuddling

Verb

In one scene, Evans stands completely naked in the shower, brushing his teeth with the bathroom door wide open and the cameras rolling, as Fielder stands awkwardly nearby.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
What if brushing your hair could do far more than simply detangling?

— Laura Sandroni, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of brushing

Verb

In July, Powell also shared a sweet photo of himself and Randolph smooching in a Fourth of July photo dump.

— Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
The vinyl edition comes with some special gatefold artwork that appears to show Winter smooching Carnegie Hall’s namesake and builder, Andrew Carnegie.

— Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of smooching

Verb

One company might allow isolating employee endpoints automatically but require human approval before touching production.

— Asaf Wiener, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Two employees did not wash their hands and/or change gloves in between touching personal phones and going back to food preparation.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of touching

Verb

Kardashian has been a longtime fan of statement-making shoes, often balancing her figure-hugging clothing choices with bold platform heels.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Schwarzenegger and Newsom piled praise upon each other during the Wednesday afternoon discussion, hugging at the end.

— Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026