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

Somewhere in the multiverse or over the rainbow or merely in a world where things fall more happily for University of Missouri athletics, the spirit of ‘76 — 1976, that is — still would be cherished by Mizzou fans. —Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026

In late December, Baldwin was accorded an honor that any proud son of Wisconsin would cherish — a Packers cheesehead hat with his name on it, courtesy of the franchise. —Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 25 Mar. 2026

Explore the recipes, ranging from BA classics to cherished family heirlooms, below. —Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026

Now, the viability of an iconic and cherished American industry rests on our not needing to re-learn the same painful lessons. —Joseph M. Singer, Deadline, 24 Mar. 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