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

Now our tears flow in sadness, but also with gratitude for all the beautiful memories of our sweet, kind, hilarious, cherished Bob. — Diana Pearl, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026

Below, two plant pros present varieties that allow gardeners of all levels to maintain a nostalgic yet sustainable garden landscape with the same beauty and essence cherished for generations. — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 June 2026

After more than a decade of waiting and grief, even the flash of a grin is a testament to how much Sodais cherishes his American dream despite having every reason to feel angry or afraid. — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026

At a meeting at Dolores Mission Church in May, DaCosta touted the effort as a rare private-public partnership that should be cherished. — Alejandra Molina, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 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