cherish

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verb cher·ish \ˈcher-ish, ˈche-rish\

Definition of cherish

transitive verb
1a : to hold dear : feel or show affection for cherished her friendsb : 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

play \-i-shə-bəl\ adjective

cherisher

play \-i-shər\ noun

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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

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
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
The cabinet card was made to be held, cherished, or displayed on the mantelpiece.

— alexandra genova, Time, "The Bizarre Ritual of the 19th Century Wedding Photo," 23 June 2017
The familiarity of certain bits — to the point where some viewers sing along — is what many people seem to cherish about this and other Whitekeys shows.

— donna freedman, Alaska Dispatch News, "Mostly new ‘Whale Fat Follies’ pokes fun at president and revives old favorites," 22 June 2017
Below, Bird breaks down her daily style routine and explains the importance of cherishing fashion from a bygone era.

— brooke bobb, Vogue, "Director Ali Bird Brings a Bohemian Spirit to 9-to-5 Style," 19 June 2017
Even before Obama was elected, the DeMarias felt the country was heading down the wrong path, with the military and law enforcement no longer cherished or revered.

— lisa marie pane, The Seattle Times, "Under Trump, US militias not ready to lay down arms," 12 June 2017
But the message is clear: America cherishes an honest leader.

— littice bacon-blood, NOLA.com, "Investigation sparks feud with Jefferson Parish President, Inspector General, Fox 8 reports," 10 June 2017
So many of us own, wear and cherish our mothers' vintage bands, given to us on special occasions.

— sarah schreiber, House Beautiful, "The Hidden Meaning Behind "Right-Hand Rings"," 7 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

See Words from the same year

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