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
Here, a very dear, longtime local friend officiated the service with just a few attendees which included a blacktip reef shark and a colony of marine iguanas. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026 Undeterred, here are the lessons Mackey is holding dear in round two of his entrepreneurial journey. — Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 28 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
  • The channel needed to retain its biggest names to keep the channel valuable to cable and satellite TV providers who pay to carry it.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The bull case for the world’s most valuable company and the bull case for the build-out are now essentially the same case, and Morgan Stanley’s North America Insight, led by Nicholas Lentini, makes both.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of valuable
Adjective
  • There has been a tremendous amount of recent development in Chelsea, but, ever the story in New York City, as beloved old places close their doors, new favorites emerge.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Customers will find the usual array of irresistible doughnuts, including DK’s beloved maple bacon bar.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of beloved
Adjective
  • That’s when Wormie World, an art scavenger hunt featuring hundreds of adorable ceramic worms, will host its third annual free urban art hunt throughout the city’s central neighborhoods.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Today’s recipe More adorable than spooky, these Halloween treats are nothing more than homemade marshmallows, using just a handful of ingredients.
    — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of adorable
Noun
  • The Coway Airmega Mighty has been a Reddit darling for years and a top air-purifier pick for more than a decade, since the product launched in 2015.
    — Matthew Huff, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The retail giant also has an on-going collaboration with menswear design darling Aaron Levine and has released capsule collections with Bad Bunny, Marisa Berenson, Fruit of the Loom, Baisi Guadagnino and more.
    — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of darling
Adjective
  • They were showered with expensive clothes, spa treatments, and drugs, and given weekly allowances ranging from $150 to $200.
    — Samantha Bergeson, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Why concert tickets keep getting more expensive Artists, promoters, venues, and ticketing platforms all take a cut of each ticket.
    — James LaForge, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of expensive
Adjective
  • As investigators search for answers, a restaurant is stepping in to help grieving families and those with loved ones in the hospital.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Friends and loved ones are mourning the man who fell to his death Monday while riding a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.
    — Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of loved
Adjective
  • One of the sweetest gestures during the Halloween season in Kansas City comes from one of the sweetest companies in town — Russell Stover.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
  • My sweet potato casserole recipe swaps the nuts for crispy, sweet-and-salty cornflakes—the marshmallows can stay.
    — Zoe Denenberg, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of sweet
Noun
  • Hannah Mullin and Sean McConnell are true childhood sweethearts.
    — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Pittsburgh native turned the page on his high school sweetheart Nomi Leasure and entered new dating territory, a relationship with Ariana Grande, which started to percolate in early 2016.
    — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 13 Oct. 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 23 Oct. 2026.

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