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dear 1 of 2

adjective

ˈdir How to pronounce dear (audio)
Definition of dearnext
1
as in valuable
commanding a large price caviar has always been among the dearest of foods

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

dear

2 of 2

noun

as in darling
a person with whom one is in love I love you, dear

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 dear
Adjective
Everyone was mean but the woman in the book was coming off a bad breakup, so dear reader, give her a break. — Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026 Former Chicago Bears fullback Matt Suhey, a big part of the team's success in the 1980s and a dear friend of Walter Payton, has died. — Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026
Noun
Early on, Leonardo Spinazzola made a mistake similar to the one Billy Gilmour committed last week, one that cost Napoli dear against Torino. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025 Decked out for the holidays While the angel ornaments sit in a glass case, Donna holds two ornaments on the dining room Christmas tree dear. — Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 14 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for dear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dear
  1. valuable
  2. beloved
  3. adorable
  4. darling
  5. expensive
  6. loved
  7. sweet
  8. sweetheart
Adjective
  • And one of its most valuable assets is the ground game’s ability to open up the passing offense.
    — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
  • However, conventional disposal tactics like landfills and incineration trigger severe environmental pollution while squandering valuable resources.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of valuable
Adjective
  • Flagship publication the Sacramento Bee nixed six of 39 union journalists, a 15% cut that eliminated the sports desk, including a long-serving, beloved high school sports reporter.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Luke Talich became a Notre Dame fan because the Irish wore the same blue-and-gold colors as his beloved Cody High School Broncs.
    — Curt Rallo, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of beloved
Adjective
  • Choose from a range of cute animals on the hood, including a unicorn, dragon and duck, to make for wildly adorable photos.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Tonally, the film is torn between wanting to be brutally bleak and offering some kind of hope for Murphy and his precocious, adorable daughter.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of adorable
Noun
  • Lens, Heart of Midlothian and Thun were media darlings last season making bold runs at their first league titles for many decades.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Well, the cast of the upcoming season of The Traitors now has Emmy and Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth, Lost star Dominic Monaghan, and sitcom (and Vulture) darling Casey Wilson, as well as Olympian Chloe Kim.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of darling
Adjective
  • Plant operators will be able to stretch their operating cycles to 24 months, cutting down on expensive refueling outages and keeping the plant running continuously for longer stretches.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The couple found another vet to operate on Apex’s shoulder, but because his condition was worse, the surgery was more expensive.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of expensive
Adjective
  • 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
  • Epps portrayed Marcus Cowans, an ex-con trying to put his life back together with the support of his loved ones.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of loved
Adjective
  • There's also the Pillow Talk Dreams Come True box, a sweet pink velvet box tied with a bow that houses 16 full-size Pillow Talk products, including lipsticks, blushes and mascara.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Today’s cinnamon fragrances are less candle-aisle sweet, and more sophisticated.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of sweet
Noun
  • The family soon moved to Kentucky, where Kingsolver’s parents, high-school sweethearts, had been born and raised, and settled in the small town of Carlisle, where another daughter was born.
    — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Victor, played by Harrison, is Gabby’s high school sweetheart and now husband, who grew up in a big, loving family and can’t wait to have his own.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of sweetheart

Browse Nearby Words

deanships
dear
dears
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Cite this Entry

“Dear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dear. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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