dearly

adverb

dear·​ly ˈdir-lē How to pronounce dearly (audio)
1
: with affection : fondly
2
: heartily, earnestly
prayed so dearly for peace
3
: at a high rate or price
paid dearly for the error

Examples of dearly in a Sentence

I would dearly love to see them again. He dearly wanted to believe that it was true.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
As ABC‘s 9-1-1 gears up for Season 9, the dearly departed Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) will still factor into the narrative, according to star Oliver Stark. Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2025 As a mother, there is no greater gift than to see her child so dearly loved by another person. Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025 You are loved and you will be dearly missed. Greta Cross, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025 When lenders turn off the money spigot – or charge dearly for access – that means regular people ultimately pay the price. Luciana Lopez, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dearly

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dearly was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Dearly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dearly. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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