fondness

noun

fond·​ness ˈfän(d)-nəs 

1

obsolete : foolishness, folly

2

: tender affection

3

: appetite, relish

had a fondness for argument

Synonyms of fondness

• love
• affection
• passion

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

Bertolli, once a chef at a number of legendary San Francisco Bay Area restaurants before debuting his salumi company, Fra’ Mani, devotes 14 pages to his fondness for true balsamic vinegar and 12 ways to think about cooking with tomatoes. — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 17 Aug. 2026

Like his eldest son, King Charles, the late Duke of Edinburgh also had a particular fondness for the Balmoral gardens, McGrady said. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026

The five-parter from Tiger King co-director Eric Goode features reptile dealers with a fondness for creepy crawlies and a loose connection to ethical and legal mores. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Aug. 2026

Riley’s oeuvre, in other words, has become an object of widespread readerly love even as her books themselves can seem scoured of fondness. — Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1