dear 1 of 2

adjective

ˈdir How to pronounce dear (audio)
Definition of dearnext
1
as in valuable
commanding a large price caviar has always been among the dearest of foods

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in beloved
granted special treatment or attention spared no expense when caring for and feeding her dear little dog

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in adorable
having qualities that tend to make one loved a dear friend that I would do anything for

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dear

2 of 2

noun

as in darling
a person with whom one is in love I love you, dear

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dear
Adjective
Here, a very dear, longtime local friend officiated the service with just a few attendees which included a blacktip reef shark and a colony of marine iguanas. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026 Undeterred, here are the lessons Mackey is holding dear in round two of his entrepreneurial journey. — Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
Early on, Leonardo Spinazzola made a mistake similar to the one Billy Gilmour committed last week, one that cost Napoli dear against Torino. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025 Decked out for the holidays While the angel ornaments sit in a glass case, Donna holds two ornaments on the dining room Christmas tree dear. — Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 14 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for dear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dear
  1. valuable
  2. beloved
  3. adorable
  4. darling
  5. expensive
  6. loved
  7. sweet
  8. sweetheart
Adjective
  • Regional authorities said that the entire caper was conducted within three minutes and that the thieves targeted the most valuable paintings in the museum, which occupies the French old master’s one-time residence.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Bassetti argued that the company’s scale represented an increasingly valuable asset for streamers.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of valuable
Adjective
  • There has been a tremendous amount of recent development in Chelsea, but, ever the story in New York City, as beloved old places close their doors, new favorites emerge.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Customers will find the usual array of irresistible doughnuts, including DK’s beloved maple bacon bar.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of beloved
Adjective
  • That’s when Wormie World, an art scavenger hunt featuring hundreds of adorable ceramic worms, will host its third annual free urban art hunt throughout the city’s central neighborhoods.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Today’s recipe More adorable than spooky, these Halloween treats are nothing more than homemade marshmallows, using just a handful of ingredients.
    — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of adorable
Noun
  • Very often, my darling husband Steven will quietly deliver a sandwich to my desk.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Our favorite dress picks have a variety of styles and versatile features, like darling ruffles, cinching waistlines, and trending silhouettes.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of darling
Adjective
  • His proficiency, buoyed by his expensive taste and skill in daisy-chaining images together, got his foot in the door of the indie-rap revitalization.
    — Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Without more batteries, Illinois will be even more reliant on dirty, expensive electricity imports from other states and more likely to delay the natural gas power plant closures it’s planned for years to clean the air.
    — John Lippert, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of expensive
Adjective
  • Friends and loved ones are mourning the man who fell to his death Monday while riding a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.
    — Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Win or lose, a candidate’s campaign will consume their life and their loved ones’; a victory guarantees their life will change forever.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of loved
Adjective
  • And captured the juiciness of ripe strawberries, snapping the fruit into sweet focus in a pint of strawberry and passion fruit ice cream.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Also milder, sweeter and less earthy than red beets, so make sure the red beet-haters give them a taste.
    — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of sweet
Noun
  • The Pittsburgh native turned the page on his high school sweetheart Nomi Leasure and entered new dating territory, a relationship with Ariana Grande, which started to percolate in early 2016.
    — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026
  • He was beloved by his teammates and married his high-school sweetheart.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of sweetheart

Browse Nearby Words

deanships
dear
dears
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Cite this Entry

“Dear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dear. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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