petting vs fondling

petting and fondling both are nouns.

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

As nouns, petting and fondling are synonyms defined as:

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

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

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