endearing

adjective

en·​dear·​ing in-ˈdir-iŋ How to pronounce endearing (audio)
en-
: arousing feelings of affection or admiration
an endearing habit/quality
… the character he plays … is one of the most endearing on television …Frank Owen
endearingly adverb
an endearingly warmhearted person

Examples of endearing in a Sentence

you have to wonder about people who don't find kittens and puppies endearing his impish sense of humor is one of his more endearing traits
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That endearing, but hazardous, habit ended several years ago when the rail was dug up and repurposed for an eventual 63-mile walking and biking trail called the Monon South Trail, running from New Albany to Mitchell in southern Indiana. Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 15 Oct. 2025 Beauvoir’s letters show a softer, surprisingly endearing side of the pioneering feminist, and Acocella mines them for the delightful and the dirty. Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025 Onscreen, she was known for playing endearing, unique and sometimes eccentric characters. Mandalit Del Barco, NPR, 12 Oct. 2025 Read on for the cutest, cuddliest, fiercest and most endearing figures helping make this anime such a bona fide hit. Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for endearing

Word History

First Known Use

1766, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of endearing was in 1766

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Endearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endearing. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!