beloved 1 of 2

adjective

bi-ˈləvd How to pronounce beloved (audio)
Definition of belovednext
as in loved
granted special treatment or attention her beloved cat sleeps in its own little bed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

beloved

2 of 2

noun

as in darling
a person with whom one is in love searching for some incredibly romantic spot in which to ask his beloved to marry him

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 beloved
Adjective
This stands in contrast, of course, to the beloved Julie Andrews version of the character. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026 Continue reading … DOUBLING DOWN — Ms Rachel fires back at critics by invoking a beloved children's TV legend. — FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Noun
But in Faiz’s poem, the union with the beloved also contains an acute awareness of mortality and the transience of beauty – a recognition of what has been lost, and the suffering still to come. — Krupa Shandilya, The Conversation, 25 June 2026 While wondering if his beloved will ever return, Jesse also grapples with grief, paranoia and family drama. — Caroline Killilea, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for beloved
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beloved
  1. loved
  2. darling
  3. cherished
  4. sweetheart
  5. favorite
  6. dear
  7. precious
  8. lover
Adjective
  • Beyond the film, which ended the moment they were rescued, there was another kind of survival, which was returning home and surviving, on the part of the survivors, and surviving the loss of a loved one.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026
  • At its worst, cognitive impairment can be a horrible, life-altering disease for patient and loved ones.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of loved
Noun
  • Labubu — the coolest kid on the bag charm block is now Coach’s Ducky, a darling creation composed of shearling, felt, and vachetta leather.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Conclave proved an audience hit as well as an award darling, generating over $125 million at the global box office on a $20 million budget.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of darling
Adjective
  • Macy served the Placer County DA’s office from 2006 to 2020 and remained a cherished part of its extended family.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • This new holiday will henceforth honor one of our finest and most cherished national characteristics—our ability to live and work together, men and women of all national origins, as one united and progressive nation.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of cherished
Noun
  • But when his best friend Lloyd (Bergen) invites Eddie’s first love and former camp sweetheart Erin (Cohan) to the bachelor weekend, the reunion becomes a reckoning with old relationships, unresolved love and the question of what might have been.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026
  • During his time with the Lions, Matthew married Kelly, his college sweetheart, in April 2015.
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of sweetheart
Adjective
  • Fashion designer Simon Port Jacquemus listed it among his favorite addresses in Vogue, and French street artist Invader unofficially blessed the building with one of his trademark mosaics.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
  • His hit farming series launched on Prime Video in 2021 and quickly became a fan favorite on the streaming service.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of favorite
Noun
  • Whether these ads were meant to imply that clutching and shifting was too physical for women, too unladylike, or just too complex for the little dears is not clear.
    — Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Roberts hopes the new restaurant, which is open for lunch and dinner and features a full bar specializing in classic Southern cocktails and bellinis, will give guests a taste of the flavors and comfort he’s held dear for decades.
    — Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 2 Feb. 2026
Definition of dear
Adjective
  • In recent years, Pandora has grappled with headwinds including sluggish demand across core markets, an overreliance on single product categories, and volatile precious metal input costs.
    — , CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
  • For much of her early life, that single question was the most precious gift Laura had ever been given—more cherished than her Barbies or her Baby Alive or her Sunshine family dolls.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of precious
Noun
  • The supporting cast is well stocked with character actors who bring humor and pathos to this gaggle of spouses, friends, lovers and bootleggers.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Orr’s trail repairs come at a time when outdoors lovers are feeling particularly protective of public lands.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of lover

Browse Nearby Words

belongs
beloved
beloveds
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beloved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beloved. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of adventitious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All