1
as in valuable
commanding a large price
caviar has always been among the dearest of foods
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in beloved
granted special treatment or attention
spared no expense when caring for and feeding her dear little dog
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in adorable
having qualities that tend to make one loved
a dear friend that I would do anything for
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in darling
a person with whom one is in love
I love you, dear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dear
Elle Meier, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
The story of how so many Irish came to call this corner of Pennsylvania their own stretches back nearly three centuries, shaped by famine and faith, hard labor and hard politics, and a tenacity that left its mark on nearly every institution the city holds dear.
—Paula Kane, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2026
Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2024
Somehow the ethereal little dears were inapprehensible without words.
—Tom Wolfe, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dear
Adjective
When Harry Met Sally co-stars Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal reunited at the 2026 Oscars to honor their dear friend Rob Reiner.
—Elle Meier, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
The story of how so many Irish came to call this corner of Pennsylvania their own stretches back nearly three centuries, shaped by famine and faith, hard labor and hard politics, and a tenacity that left its mark on nearly every institution the city holds dear.
—Paula Kane, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
At a recent event raising money for the Men Wear Pink campaign and for the Cincinnati Friars Club, another charity dear to Altenau's heart, the ambassadors climbed on stage and sang her a song.
—Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2024
Somehow the ethereal little dears were inapprehensible without words.
—Tom Wolfe, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dear
Adjective
-
While rainfall runs off quickly and can more readily evaporate from soil, snowpack serves as a valuable and lasting source of moisture and accounts for a majority of water supplies across the region, as much as 80 percent in some areas.—
Mira Rojanasakul,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
-
This pattern encodes valuable information.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
We’d e-mailed her friends; her beloved younger brother had come from New Hampshire.—
Amanda Peet,
New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2026
-
One of the brand’s most beloved products, the Glow Serum, shows exactly what the brand does best.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Moo Deng soared to stardom shortly after she was born in 2024, largely thanks to a keeper who shared adorable pictures and videos of the baby hippo on social media.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Spring has almost arrived in the northern hemisphere and with the new season comes warm temperatures, blooming flowers, and adorable baby animals.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Following her roles in Marty Supreme and I Love LA, Odessa A’zion swiftly emerged as one of Hollywood’s new darlings and a key character of this awards season.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
17 Mar. 2026
-
During Hollywood’s Golden Age, Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher were among the darlings of the entertainment industry.—
Juliana Ukiomogbe,
Architectural Digest,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This will overcome the main challenge of firing expensive missile interceptors to knock out these threats; the economics don’t add up.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The newest residents of some of the city’s most expensive real estate pitched their shelters in the shadow of the port where, in 2020, a massive blast rocked most of Beirut, killing hundreds and destroying a chunk of the capital.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But for the loved ones of the three still missing, an agonizing wait continues.—
Kocha Olarn,
CNN Money,
20 Mar. 2026
-
At that same company, a hospice social worker wrote about a family's grief when their loved one passed, but there was no evidence the patient was actually dead.—
Adam Yamaguchi,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In the hands of a sandwich master, these things can come from elsewhere—in the Vegitalian, thin slabs of fresh mozzarella and, of all things, a thick layer of roasted sweet-potato slices.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Relax by the grand fireplace overlooking the mountainside as you’re delivered triers of sweet pastries and chocolate treats, savory salmon toasts, lobster rolls, and more while Artisanal high chocolate is poured over fluffy cotton candy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Her late husband, Kenneth Gibson, was her high school sweetheart and later worked as a potato broker in Idaho, connecting farmers with buyers.—
Nour Rahal,
Freep.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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The pic follows small town hairdresser Gail Daughtry (Zoey Deutch), who is engaged to her devoted high school sweetheart, Tom (Michael Cassidy).—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dear. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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