fondness

noun

fond·​ness ˈfän(d)-nəs How to pronounce fondness (audio)
Synonyms of fondnessnext
1
obsolete : foolishness, folly
2
: tender affection
3
: appetite, relish
had a fondness for argument

Examples of fondness in a Sentence

my fondness for you will never fail I have a fondness for expensive chocolate.
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.
But of all the doorstoppers, this book—despite its creator’s occasional fondness for the taste of feet in his own mouth—has long felt suited to the slow boiling family drama treatment. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026 The playful debate has only added to the video’s appeal, highlighting the internet’s enduring fondness for pets caught—or allegedly caught—in the middle of mischief. Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026 What about forests, given my fondness for tree metaphors? Elena Megalos, Longreads, 31 Mar. 2026 How do these remarks square with Brooks’s fondness for compressing expansive human goods into orderly formulas? Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fondness

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fondness was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Fondness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fondness. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.

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