cherish

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verb cher·ish \ ˈcher-ish , ˈche-rish \

Definition of cherish

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

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cherishable

play \-i-shə-bəl\ adjective

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cherisher

play \-i-shər\ noun

See cherish defined for English-language learners

See cherish defined for kids

Examples of cherish in a Sentence

a book cherished by many
I will always cherish that memory.

Recent Examples of cherish from the Web

The dawning of a new era in South Florida, which will be celebrated in time, with a legacy that will forever be cherished.

— bob nightengale, USA TODAY, "Would the Marlins dare trade Giancarlo Stanton in the offseason?," 28 Aug. 2017
A giant of a man, Governor Andrus was Idaho’s longest serving governor and leaves behind a legacy that Idahoans will forever cherish.

— kristin rodine, cynthia sewell and sven berg, idahostatesman, "‘The entire American West bears the imprint of Cecil Andrus’," 25 Aug. 2017
Those left to cherish his memory include his father, Richard & wife Linda; sister Marcia Impaglia; his daughter Sarah, his son Ryan and Kiwi, parents of Ella, Lily and Harper; as well as many friends and extended family members.

— orlando sentinel, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Deaths in Central Florida: 8/20," 20 Aug. 2017
The world sensed this part of her character and cherished her for her vulnerability whilst admiring her for her honesty.

— caroline hallemann, Town & Country, "Looking Back at Princess Diana's Brother's Controversial Eulogy," 24 July 2017
Remember your duty, honor your history, take care of the people God put into your life, and love and cherish your great country.

— helen regan, Time, "Read the Full Transcript of President Trump's 2017 Boy Scout Jamboree Speech," 24 July 2017
He is adored and cherished by his mum Steph, his dad Robbie, his brother Jack (8 yrs old), and Steph’s partner, Ady.

— karen mizoguchi, PEOPLE.com, "Ryan Reynolds Grants Terminally Ill 5-Year-Old Boy's Wish with FaceTime Call from Deadpool 2 Set," 20 July 2017
An Alaska mother is cherishing cellphone photos of her wide-eyed 6-month-old baby in the arms of former President Barack Obama.

— jennifer sinco kelleher, The Seattle Times, "Alaska mom snaps cellphone pics of Obama carrying her baby," 7 July 2017
Oh, and Lael and her longtime partner, Nicholas Carman, have spent about half of each of the last nine years cherishing the world from the seats of their bicycles.

— doyle woody, Alaska Dispatch News, "Step into Alaska cyclist Lael Wilcox’s Globe of Adventure," 29 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cherish.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of cherish

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

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cherish Synonyms

Synonyms

adore, love, worship

Antonyms

abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe

Related Words

adulate, canonize, deify, idealize, idolize; revere, reverence, venerate; delight (in), dote (on)

Near Antonyms

antagonize, displease; disapprove (of), disfavor, dislike; disgust, nauseate, repel, repulse, revolt, sicken, turn off

Synonym Discussion of 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

CHERISH Defined for English Language Learners

cherish

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verb

Definition of cherish for English Language Learners

: to feel or show great love for (someone or something)
: to remember or hold (an idea, belief, etc.) in a deeply felt way

CHERISH Defined for Kids

cherish

play

verb cher·ish \ ˈcher-ish \

Definition of cherish for Students

cherished; cherishing

1 :to hold dear :feel or show affection for

cherish a friend

2 :to remember or hold in a deeply felt way

She cherishes the memory.

Learn More about cherish

See words that rhyme with cherish Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cherish Spanish Central: Translation of cherish Nglish: Translation of cherish for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of cherish for Arabic speakers

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Examples of cherish in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of cherish

cherish Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

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Synonym Discussion of cherish

CHERISH Defined for English Language Learners

cherish

Definition of cherish for English Language Learners

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