fondness

noun

fond·​ness ˈfän(d)-nəs 

1

obsolete : foolishness, folly

2

: tender affection

3

: appetite, relish

had a fondness for argument

Synonyms of fondness

• love
• affection
• passion

Examples of fondness in a Sentence

my fondness for you will never fail

I have a fondness for expensive chocolate.

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s a genuine fondness that Criston has for Gwayne; there’s a yin-yang aspect to them. — Matt Minton, Variety, 20 July 2026

Stribling was given the locker next to Juszczyk’s, and the two have talked about the rookie’s military background (his father was in the Marines) and his fondness for getting his jersey dirty on the field. — Vic Tafur, New York Times, 14 July 2026

Henrietta also had a particular fondness for befriending young women, and disseminating scientific works and sharing knowledge with them. — Leah Hudson, Popular Science, 9 July 2026

Several years later, that fondness for play hasn’t gone the way of the Zoom cocktail hour. — Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 6 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1