cherish

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

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: cherish in a Sentence

Definition of cherish

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

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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

Please cherish all of our lives and help those who may be struggling.

— caitlin o'kane, CBS News, "Restaurant CEO who says Anthony Bourdain changed his life donates profits to suicide hotline," 10 June 2018
Thank you for opening our eyes to parts of the world both cherished and unknown.

— erin jensen, USA TODAY, "Chrissy Teigen, Savannah Guthrie mourn 'utterly heartbreaking' death of Anthony Bourdain," 8 June 2018
Thank you for opening our eyes to parts of the world both cherished and unknown.

— abby jones, Billboard, "Anthony Bourdain's Death: Barack Obama, Chrissy Teigen, Gordon Ramsay & Others Pay Tribute," 8 June 2018
Thank you for opening our eyes to parts of the world both cherished and unknown.

— ruby buddemeyer, Marie Claire, "Celebrities Are Paying Tribute to Anthony Bourdain After His Death," 8 June 2018
The @TuckerCarlson opening statement about our once cherished and great FBI was so sad to watch.

— ryan teague beckwith, Time, "Read the 191 Arguments President Trump Has Made Against the Mueller Investigation," 7 June 2018
Perkins, the only child of Raymond Earl Brown and Lena Mae Lanigan, was born and raised in Galveston and loved and cherished her hometown.

— nick powell, Houston Chronicle, "Galveston funeral set for Glenda Ann Perkins, Santa Fe teacher who helped save student's life," 29 May 2018
Just this week, it’s been made clear how cherished Philip Roth was by the writers who came up after him.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Was Classic Rock a Sound, or a Tribe?," 28 May 2018
Make some room for your son’s cherished, beloved, loyal partner.

— heather havrilesky, The Cut, "‘My Son’s Girlfriend Is Keeping Me From My Grandchildren!’," 23 May 2018

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

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

cherish Synonyms

Phrases

set store by (or set store on);

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.