Synonyms of cherished

cherished 1 of 2

adjective

as in loved

granted special treatment or attention

a cherished heirloom that has been in the family for generations

Synonyms & Similar Words

• loved
• beloved
• precious
• favorite
• special
• darling
• adored
• sweet
• favored
• dear
• pet
• fond
• admired
• appreciated
• revered
• treasured
• fair-haired
• white-headed
• esteemed
• prized
• preferred
• relished

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• despised
• disliked
• hated
• detested
• ignored
• loathed
• abhorred
• forgotten
• disfavored
• abandoned
• unbeloved
• disdained
• alienated
• execrated
• abominated
• estranged
• unfavorite

cherished

2 of 2

verb

past tense of cherish

1

as in adored

to feel passion, devotion, or tenderness for

promised to love and cherish her husband forever

Synonyms & Similar Words

• loved
• adored
• fell for
• worshipped
• revered
• idolized
• idealized
• carried the torch (for)
• lost one's heart (to)
• venerated
• carried a torch (for)
• reverenced
• adulated
• canonized
• deified
• delighted (in)
• doted (on)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hated
• despised
• detested
• loathed
• abhorred
• antagonized
• disliked
• displeased
• execrated
• abominated
• disapproved (of)
• disgusted
• turned off
• revolted
• repulsed
• sickened
• repelled
• nauseated
• disfavored

2

as in valued

to hold dear

we shall always cherish the keepsakes that our grandmother left us

Synonyms & Similar Words

• valued
• treasured
• loved
• appreciated
• enjoyed
• prized
• respected
• admired
• regarded
• revered
• liked
• relished
• venerated
• reverenced
• delighted (in)
• fancied
• enshrined
• set store by
• esteemed
• grooved (on)
• memorialized
• reveled (in)
• idolized
• dug
• caressed
• adored
• worshipped
• apprized
• doted (on)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hated
• despised
• undervalued
• loathed
• detested
• abhorred
• execrated
• scorned
• abominated
• disdained
• disvalued
• abandoned
• disparaged
• sniffed (at)
• neglected
• slighted
• snubbed
• minimized
• scouted
• belittled
• depreciated
• decried
• deprecated
• put down
• forgot
• wrote off
• high-hatted
• cried down
• bad-mouthed
• kissed off

3

as in had

to keep in one's mind or heart

after all these years, she still cherishes the memory of her first summer romance

Synonyms & Similar Words

• had
• held
• retained
• harbored
• entertained
• cultivated
• bore
• remembered
• maintained
• treasured
• kept
• nursed
• preserved
• nurtured
• held on to
• hugged
• fostered
• sustained
• hung on to
• carried
• supported
• stuck (to)
• clung (to)
• cleaved (to)
• fixated (on or upon)
• obsessed (about or over)
• brooded (about or over)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• neglected
• ignored
• disregarded
• denied
• overlooked
• dropped
• rejected
• forgot
• refused
• abandoned
• repudiated
• scorned
• declined
• discarded
• renounced
• deserted
• disdained
• quit
• gave up
• abjured
• erased
• parted (with)
• forsook
• threw out
• expunged

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of cherished

Adjective

The Padres have become an institution, playing in one of the more cherished buildings in sports. —Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026

The ritual is becoming a cherished memory in its own right. —Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 Feb. 2026

After all, one of the persistent impulses of modern art has been to antagonize people of correct sensibilities, to subvert their cherished institutions. —Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026

Couzijn was regarded by many as a cherished mentor who had a gift for guiding people without diminishing them. —Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 23 Feb. 2026

One of the most cherished road rides is the eight-mile Cactus Forest Drive, a paved loop road in the Rincon Mountain District. —Graham Averill, Outside, 23 Feb. 2026

My parents have both passed away, and my birthday has always been a cherished day, filled with memories and meaning. —Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 19 Feb. 2026

The five-mile bridge opened in 1957, and is a cherished landmark in addition to providing a crucial transportation link for traffic on Interstate 75. —Paula Wethington, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026

This recipe from Karen Clark Rasberry is a cherished family tradition. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026

Verb

Well cherished for decades, the 2,313-square-foot haven has a breezy flow for everyday living or frequent hosting, plus a blissful backyard. —Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026

Once that partnership became physical, the actors’ chemistry became something fans cherished. —Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Feb. 2026

This northern Japanese delicacy is cherished for its meltingly sweet flesh, which takes on a light pink color because of the species' shrimp-heavy diet. —Alex Halberstadt, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026

And worse comes a sweep, where our clients are not just suddenly uprooted, but lose their practical items, like clothes and paperwork, and cherished personal mementos. —Deborah Berkman, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026

The bond, like the grief, is ongoing, ebbing and flowing with the passage of time, but enlivened in every memory cherished and in every story told. —Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026

Even if they’re found in less than perfect shape, they can often be repaired, restored, and cherished for generations to come. —Ashley Poskin, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026

Zoo officials described Okidi as a joyful presence who was deeply cherished by the team that cared for her daily. —Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 20 Feb. 2026

Once made of glass and cherished by parade spectators who were lucky enough to catch them, today cheap plastic beaded necklaces from overseas are tossed from floats by the handful. —Travis Loller, Arkansas Online, 16 Feb. 2026