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

Attendees walk away each year with car stereos, rear-view mirrors, and side doors to cherish the unforgettable day. — Carmela Asmar, USA Today, 2 July 2026

But such fine evidence of the erroneous human touch in the publishing process is, of course, cherished by collectors of this day. — Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

America’s bounty of wilderness is mostly the result of shrewd policy decisions that preserved these lands for all of us to cherish today. — Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 3 July 2026

Reese cherishes that milestone, when the NAIA turned girls’ flag into women’s flag. — Tim Graham, New York Times, 2 July 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