And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
Source: tatoeba (6399678)
Pawing
Synonyms for "pawing" (22 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (5)
Strong matches (6)
Related words (11)
Noun(11 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: contact, feel, grope, groping, handling.
- Sentence evidence is available for pawing, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from opengloss, derived_reverse.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "pawing".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "pawing"
Keep "pawing" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "pawing" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "pawing", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "pawing" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
14 entriesMore specific
16 entriescat pawingdog pawinghorse pawinginappropriate touchingpaw-shaped padpawing at doorpawing gesturepawing motionpawing objectspawing the groundpawing through debrispawing through leavespawing through paperspawlike curvaturesexual harassmentunwanted groping
Collocations
13 entriesinappropriate touchingpawing actionpawing apparatuspawing at doorpawing at objectspawing at the doorpawing behaviorpawing gesturepawing motionpawing objectspawing the groundpawing through debrissexual pawing
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
9 entriesSample sentences
3 total sentences available.
A bull, stimulated either by the scarlet colour of Miss Ashton's mantle, or by one of those fits of capricious ferocity to which their dispositions are liable, detached himself suddenly from the group which was feeding at the upper extremity of a grassy glade, that seemed to lose itself among the crossing and entangled boughs. The animal approached the intruders on his pasture ground, at first slowly, pawing the ground with his hoof, bellowing from time to time, and tearing up the sand with his horns, as if to lash himself up to rage and violence.
Source: tatoeba (7752127)
Firelight could be seen reflected on the ceiling of the drawing-room. Inside the deep stone porch, the heavy door was scarred by the pawings of many generations of dogs.
Source: wiktionary
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "pawing"?
Closest matches include contact, feel, grope, groping, handling.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "pawing"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.