affectionate
adjective
af·fec·tion·ate
ə-ˈfek-sh(ə-)nət 
1
2
: motivated by affection : tender
affectionate care
affectionately
adverb
Examples of affectionate in a Sentence
an affectionate child who gives hugs and kisses freely
Recent Examples on the Web
Lilo, an affectionate dog with a love for spending time with people, would welcome the chance to cuddle with a new owner, according to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Anne Arundel County.
—
Simone Jasper, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024
Abuse Survivor Dear Survivor: This husband seemed quite jealous over his wife’s affectionate attachment to her children.
—Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 19 Apr. 2024
The notion of self-experimentation popped up mostly in obituaries describing the lives of such people, usually as stray sentences thrown into otherwise eulogizing articles with the literary equivalent of an affectionate chuckle over their strange hobbies.
—Rachel Lance, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2024
And here’s the ultimate truth about Garcia: Ruby’s love for plants and traveling came nothing close to her affectionate smile that illuminated the room or contagious laughter.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Harry's friend Nacho Figueras shared photos from the event on his Instagram, including one snap that showed the prince with an affectionate hand resting on his wife's back.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2024
Depriving ourselves of the opportunity to be affectionate toward others may also take a toll on our mental health.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
When a non-immigrant dad shows up (Mikey Day), he’s admonished for being too affectionate with his son.
—Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
They're known for being affectionate with family and children and are good with other dogs.
—USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024
Simone Jasper, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024
Abuse Survivor Dear Survivor: This husband seemed quite jealous over his wife’s affectionate attachment to her children.
—Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 19 Apr. 2024
The notion of self-experimentation popped up mostly in obituaries describing the lives of such people, usually as stray sentences thrown into otherwise eulogizing articles with the literary equivalent of an affectionate chuckle over their strange hobbies.
—Rachel Lance, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2024
And here’s the ultimate truth about Garcia: Ruby’s love for plants and traveling came nothing close to her affectionate smile that illuminated the room or contagious laughter.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Harry's friend Nacho Figueras shared photos from the event on his Instagram, including one snap that showed the prince with an affectionate hand resting on his wife's back.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2024
Depriving ourselves of the opportunity to be affectionate toward others may also take a toll on our mental health.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
When a non-immigrant dad shows up (Mikey Day), he’s admonished for being too affectionate with his son.
—Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
They're known for being affectionate with family and children and are good with other dogs.
—USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'affectionate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near affectionate
Cite this Entry
“Affectionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affectionate. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
affectionate
adjective
af·fec·tion·ate
ə-ˈfek-sh(ə-)nət
: feeling or showing a great liking for a person or thing : loving
affectionately
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share