fondling vs petting

fondling and petting both are nouns.

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

As nouns, fondling and petting are synonyms defined as:

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

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

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