as in loving
feeling or showing love
an affectionate child who gives hugs and kisses freely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 affectionate
See the Season 6 schedule How Paris Hilton, Billy Ray Cyrus and other stars celebrated Easter 2025 Elizabeth Hurley and Billy Ray Cyrus tease romance with affectionate Easter post
When does 'Étoile' Season 1 premiere?
—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
Their demeanor may change in unexpected ways, such as becoming more alert to potential dangers, barking more, or maybe even being more affectionate.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Read: OpenAI goes MAGA The dissonance is part of the broader experience of tech—a field that, for the consumer, can feel less affectionate than addling.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2025
Max Breed: American bulldog Age: 7 years, 11 months
Max is an affectionate, happy dog who enjoys long walks and spending time with humans.
—Trish Stinger, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for affectionate
Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
Their demeanor may change in unexpected ways, such as becoming more alert to potential dangers, barking more, or maybe even being more affectionate.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Read: OpenAI goes MAGA The dissonance is part of the broader experience of tech—a field that, for the consumer, can feel less affectionate than addling.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2025
Max Breed: American bulldog Age: 7 years, 11 months
Max is an affectionate, happy dog who enjoys long walks and spending time with humans.
—Trish Stinger, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for affectionate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affectionate
Adjective
-
Their parents, too, are likable, loving, hard-working people, a little bossy now and then, but genuinely concerned for their children.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2025
-
Things in Nature Merely Grow paints a loving portrait of each of her teenage children, who died nearly seven years apart, and details her own battles with depression and suicidal ideation.—
Shannon Carlin,
Time,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
Chicharito also benefitted from his market placement in LA, in his case mainly due to the proximity to an adoring Mexican fanbase throughout Southern California.—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
-
In some cases, like his calls to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, Mr. Trump has promised changes that many of his most adoring fans in Europe have stopped well short of.—
Jim Tankersley,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Affectionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affectionate. Accessed 12 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share