caressing vs petting

caressing and petting both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
caressing	Yes	No	No	No
petting	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, caressing and petting are synonyms defined as:

caressing and petting: affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)

Other synonyms of caressing include cuddling, fondling, hugging, kissing, necking, smooching, snuggling.

caressing (noun)	petting (noun)
affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)	affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)