as in caressing
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
affectionately patted the baby on the head
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Recent Examples of patting
Bell shared photos on her Instagram Stories of the comedian joining her backstage, patting powder onto her cheeks.
—
Rachel Raposas, People.com, 27 Feb. 2025
The two critics congratulated him, patting him amiably.
—Anelise Chen, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2025
Jake’s just awkwardly patting my back.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025
The embrace lasted nine seconds, with Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt rocking back and forth, his left arm patting Tammy Reid’s back over and over.
—Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 10 Feb. 2025
And while everyone is patting themselves on the back for exposing Hezbollah in Lebanon as a paper tiger, driving Assad from power and comprehensively embarrassing Iran, the victory is likely to be short-lived.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Porsche is still patting its own back today, but what’s taking so long?
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Jan. 2025
He was seen in good spirits leaving the floor, shaking hands with supporters and patting them on the back.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 14 Jan. 2025
Eventually, a nearby firefighter battling the blaze — shown dressed in gear from head to toe and holding a hose spraying water on a burning home — calls the scared dog up to them and calms the pet down by patting it on the head, while still hosing down the home with their other hand.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 9 Jan. 2025
Rachel Raposas, People.com, 27 Feb. 2025
The two critics congratulated him, patting him amiably.
—Anelise Chen, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2025
Jake’s just awkwardly patting my back.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025
The embrace lasted nine seconds, with Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt rocking back and forth, his left arm patting Tammy Reid’s back over and over.
—Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 10 Feb. 2025
And while everyone is patting themselves on the back for exposing Hezbollah in Lebanon as a paper tiger, driving Assad from power and comprehensively embarrassing Iran, the victory is likely to be short-lived.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Porsche is still patting its own back today, but what’s taking so long?
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Jan. 2025
He was seen in good spirits leaving the floor, shaking hands with supporters and patting them on the back.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 14 Jan. 2025
Eventually, a nearby firefighter battling the blaze — shown dressed in gear from head to toe and holding a hose spraying water on a burning home — calls the scared dog up to them and calms the pet down by patting it on the head, while still hosing down the home with their other hand.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 9 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Patting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patting. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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