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
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
While Bills Mafia holds dear traditions like smashing into tables and dousing a superfan in condiments before games, the group also developed a philanthropic bent.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
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
Our dear Iryna left this world far too soon, and our hearts are heavy with grief.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
While Bills Mafia holds dear traditions like smashing into tables and dousing a superfan in condiments before games, the group also developed a philanthropic bent.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
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
-
For communication purposes, phones can be valuable tools for students during the school day, according to Toch.—
Arthur Jones II,
ABC News,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Our expert take The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is an excellent business card with useful benefits, valuable rewards and a generous welcome bonus.—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Taking a stroll and admiring fall’s vibrant hues is a quintessential autumn activity — and according to The New York Times, Nashville is one of the best cities to soak in the reds, oranges, and yellows of the beloved season.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
10 Sep. 2025
-
After the building's beloved doorman, Lester (Teddy Coluca), is found dead in the courtyard's fountain, the group comes together once again to get to the bottom of the mystery.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
For many, Maru will remain a beloved gateway into the world of adorable, viral cat videos.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Minnie is totally adorable, and Goofy is just a big goof.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But the previous Emmy darling, which won 11 awards at the 2024 Primetime Emmys, didn't win any prizes during this year's show.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The Bulls were the early-season darlings of the Group of Five, thanks to back-to-back upsets over Boise State and Florida.—
Giovanni Malloy,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow’s e-mail newsletter turned e-commerce platform, monetized an all-natural life style, promoting raw-goat-milk cleanses and expensive organic cosmetics.—
Clare Malone,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Drone dilemma The US excels at building large, expensive weaponry, but most American soldiers lack the know-how for fighting with unmanned systems.—
Daniel Wine,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In fact, those wages are so low that families must send their own money into prison to help support their loved one.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Charlie Kirk's murder is sick and reprehensible, and our thoughts are with his family, children, and loved ones.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Your liver also plays the very sweet role of regulating your blood sugar levels by releasing glucose and storing glycogen when appropriate.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The scent is smoky yet sweet, spicy yet smooth, dark but with an underlying lightness—the result of combining clean white musk with rose, tobacco, suede, and cumin.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Paul, the perennially viral, soft-swinging, sometimes problematic yet incredibly watchable mommy influencer turned reality star via Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is the next sweetheart looking for love on ABC’s 20-year-old dating show.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Volman was married to his high school sweetheart, Patricia Lee Hickey, for 25 years from 1967 to 1992.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dear. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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