as in cherished
granted special treatment or attention
her grandparents' constant doting made her feel especially loved
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in valued
to hold dear
patriots who loved their country well enough to die for it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in adored
to feel passion, devotion, or tenderness for
a husband who loves his wife more than anything
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in enjoyed
to take pleasure in
I love playing Frisbee in the summer rain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in caressed
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
the baby responded to my caresses and kisses by loving me right back
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of loved
Erin Jensen, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
All of us experience upheaval, whether through health scares, layoffs, the loss of a loved one, an industry in collapse… the list goes on.
—Maggie McGrath, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Aipa was described by friends and loved ones as a surfer who spread kindness and was humble in and out of the water.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
A lot of people lost their homes, and loved ones, unfortunately.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
In Season 2, Joanne (Kristen Bell) and unconventional (hot) rabbi Noah (Adam Brody) are back and fully committed to merging their lives – and loved ones — together.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2025
For guests and loved ones, two additional bedrooms upstairs, as well as the in-law suite above the garage offers elegant spaces for hosting in style.
—Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
More people correlated going to the movie theater with spending quality time with loved ones, while streaming at home was more associated with relaxation.
—Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Ponder was among the sports figures who spoke out about Kirk’s death and mourning for his family and loved ones.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025
Neighbors and park visitors loved it.
—Molly Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Sep. 2025
Swift wasn’t at the game, but former Giants star Lawrence Taylor was, and New York fans loved it when the camera stopped on him.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2025
Remembering Remy Remy, who had been with the family for nearly a decade, was described as gentle, affectionate, and deeply loved.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
Burns has loved animals his entire life.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
Charlene DeCesare said her husband loved golf, poker and pickleball and was loved by his family and community.
—Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 21 Sep. 2025
Welcome into this world, baby girl, you will always be loved and protected!
—Katie Mannion, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025
The crowd loved him, and for good reason.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
At the time, Syed and his loved ones, who strongly believed in his innocence, had little hope that his conviction would be overturned.
—Erin Jensen, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
All of us experience upheaval, whether through health scares, layoffs, the loss of a loved one, an industry in collapse… the list goes on.
—Maggie McGrath, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Aipa was described by friends and loved ones as a surfer who spread kindness and was humble in and out of the water.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
A lot of people lost their homes, and loved ones, unfortunately.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
In Season 2, Joanne (Kristen Bell) and unconventional (hot) rabbi Noah (Adam Brody) are back and fully committed to merging their lives – and loved ones — together.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2025
For guests and loved ones, two additional bedrooms upstairs, as well as the in-law suite above the garage offers elegant spaces for hosting in style.
—Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
More people correlated going to the movie theater with spending quality time with loved ones, while streaming at home was more associated with relaxation.
—Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Ponder was among the sports figures who spoke out about Kirk’s death and mourning for his family and loved ones.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
Behind the arrogant exterior, though, lies a caring, emotional boy eager to be loved and with a secret that’s haunting him.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025
Neighbors and park visitors loved it.
—Molly Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Sep. 2025
Swift wasn’t at the game, but former Giants star Lawrence Taylor was, and New York fans loved it when the camera stopped on him.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2025
Remembering Remy Remy, who had been with the family for nearly a decade, was described as gentle, affectionate, and deeply loved.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
Burns has loved animals his entire life.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
Charlene DeCesare said her husband loved golf, poker and pickleball and was loved by his family and community.
—Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 21 Sep. 2025
Welcome into this world, baby girl, you will always be loved and protected!
—Katie Mannion, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025
The crowd loved him, and for good reason.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 21 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loved
Adjective
-
Form And Function In Healthcare One of my most cherished childhood memories is sneaking into my father's study and pretending to be an architect.—
Dr. Taha Kass-Hout,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The haka is a ceremonial Maori chanting dance of defiance that is a cherished cultural symbol of New Zealand.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The move comes weeks after Union Pacific announced the acquisition of rival Norfolk Southern in a deal valued at $85 billion.—
Sean Conlon,
CNBC,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Today the biggest players are Polymarket, valued at $1 billion and the official prediction partner of X, and Kalshi, worth $2 billion following a recent fundraise.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
For evening, Jones looked to Umm Kulthum, the late Egyptian singer and film actress who adored scarves, for inspiration.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
21 Sep. 2025
-
Frampton is adored in Irish boxing circles as a gritty fighter who claimed belts in two divisions without ever straying far from his working-class roots.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Plus, many of these apple desserts can also be enjoyed for breakfast or as an afternoon treat.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
23 Sep. 2025
-
The collection’s other two varieties also fit the theme of nostalgic, comforting flavors that Stiller enjoyed as a kid.—
Erin Clements,
PEOPLE,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In one photo, the couple posed on the beach while Wyatt caressed her growing baby bump.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
In photos the pop superstar shared, Kelce could be seen down on one knee as Swift caressed his face during the intimate moment.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In the Season 1 finale, the Game Maker seemed to be two steps ahead of Morgan and Adam, and even kidnapped their beloved coworker Detective Lev Osman (Deniz Akdeniz), horrifyingly leaving him trapped at the bottom of a pool.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Joined by beloved Hallmark guest judges each week, one contestant will be sent 'home for the holidays,' while the winner lands a leading role in one of this year's Countdown to Christmas movies.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
These public lands are treasured for recreation, wildlife habitat, timber production and open space.—
Tony Cheng,
The Conversation,
8 Sep. 2025
-
And even before this portion of the 17-song show, Young's mood and music were frequently mad as hell, a tone likely treasured by fans likely to be appalled by our current sociopolitical situation.—
Piet Levy,
jsonline.com,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
As for their concept for this series, Law liked the idea.—
Dana Feldman,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
They were rejected from one entrepreneurship class, then accepted into another, attracting some early pre-seed funding from Soma Capital and a Stanford professor who liked their pitch.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loved. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share