cherish

verb

cher·​ish ˈcher-ish How to pronounce cherish (audio)
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 adjective
cherisher
ˈcher-i-shər How to pronounce cherish (audio)
ˈche-ri-
noun
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 Heroes players cherish Dodgers game Jurado wasn’t the only Heroes player who embraced Sunday’s meeting with the Dodgers. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2024 Jenna Brandt is already cherishing memories from her recent wedding to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 Last-Chance Saloon No team cherishes the Champions League quite like Real Madrid. Rory Smith, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Not because the machines are going to take over, but because human creativity is something to be cherished, especially in marketing. Rory Holland, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Encourage yourself to cherish those moments and to seek out opportunities for connection and shared experiences in the future. Mark Travers, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Those results underscore a key feature of Taiwan’s political landscape: that many citizens cherish their democratic institutions, freedoms, and distinct identity. Will Ripley, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024 When Oprah speaks, the world listens and our community cherishes her as an unapologetic ally, especially to transgender people. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2024 The opportunity to work with Glenn on anything is a life experience to be cherished. Hilary Lewis, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cherish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of cherish was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near cherish

Cite this Entry

“Cherish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cherish. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cherish

verb
cher·​ish ˈcher-ish How to pronounce cherish (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on cherish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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