cherish

verb

cher·​ish ˈcher-ish 

ˈche-rish

cherished; cherishing; cherishes

transitive verb

1

a

: to hold dear : feel or show affection for

cherished her friends

b

: to keep or cultivate with care and affection : nurture

cherishes his marriage

2

: to entertain or harbor in the mind deeply and resolutely

still cherishes that memory

cherishable

ˈcher-i-shə-bəl 

ˈche-ri-

adjective

cherisher

ˈcher-i-shər 

ˈche-ri-

noun

Synonyms of cherish

• love
• adore

Choose the Right Synonym for cherish

appreciate, value, prize, treasure, cherish mean to hold in high estimation.

appreciate often connotes sufficient understanding to enjoy or admire a thing's excellence.

appreciates fine wine

value implies rating a thing highly for its intrinsic worth.

values our friendship

prize implies taking a deep pride in something one possesses.

Americans prize their freedom

treasure emphasizes jealously safeguarding something considered precious.

a treasured memento

cherish implies a special love and care for something.

cherishes her children above all

Examples of cherish in a Sentence

a book cherished by many

I will always cherish that memory.

Recent Examples on the Web

Altadena had a distinctive and cherished identity before the fire. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026

Trump should focus on the issues that are raising havoc on our lives, not on destroying a space that residents have cherished for over 100 years. — Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026

As much as writers, in particular, cherish that last perk, what the honor represents should matter even more. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026

But what happened after the final whistle turned a great night into one Ty’Resi will cherish. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cherisshen, from Anglo-French cheriss-, stem of cherir to cherish, from cher dear, from Latin carus — more at charity

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for cherish

• bearish
• farish
• garish
• perish
• squarish
• nightmarish

Kids Definition

cherish

verb

cher·​ish ˈcher-ish 

1

: to hold dear : feel or show affection for

cherished her friends

2

: to keep with care and affection : nurture

cherishes her friendship

3

: to harbor in the mind

cherish a hope