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
Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2025
Finn said she was devastated by the loss of her dear friend.
—Pat Maio, Oc Register, 30 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
This is a win for you, dear reader, since contemporary, beloved A-listers from Olivia Rodrigo and Selena Gomez to Charli XCX and Gigi Hadid are bestowing upon all of us inspiration on the exact Ugg styles to shop and how to properly fuse each one with today’s top fashion trends.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2025
Finn said she was devastated by the loss of her dear friend.
—Pat Maio, Oc Register, 30 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
-
Undoubtedly, there are players with potential and talent at Tuchel’s disposal, but very little valuable experience in a position that requires more maturity and discipline.—
Rob Tanner,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The aftermath of that tragedy taught him a valuable life lesson about how the chaos of the world could affect the global financial sector.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
No one is better built than Leavy, a crafty veteran sportswriter, for between-innings repartee, wry asides, and tossed-off ideas for improving her beloved sport—and maybe even keeping its ever-looming obsolescence at bay for another decade or three.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Thus, the scheme of thoughtfully layered illumination, including the pair of Grand Central Terminal–worthy pendants in the kitchen (each weighing in the realm of 60 pounds), plaster sconces, custom lampshades, and Deschanel’s beloved Murano chandeliers.—
Catherine Hong,
Architectural Digest,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
There are several toys my daughter is still obsessed with after owning them for years, including a dinosaur dig sensory bin, an adorable wooden tea set, and a Lego Duplo set.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
8 Oct. 2025
-
In the comments, followers jokingly defended Duke — who now has over 160,000 followers on his Instagram @lifewithduke2025 — and his adorable quirks.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Best Latex Pillow Saatva’s long been an Instagram darling, which was exactly what made contributor Sydney Gore want to test it out for herself.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
6 Oct. 2025
-
The retraction is just the latest blow for a product that has been a darling of celebrities and influencers.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
For a ski station closer to Tokyo and less expensive than Niseko, try Nekoma Mountain in Fukushima province.—
Kristin Braswell,
AFAR Media,
7 Oct. 2025
-
In typical hypercar fashion, the car just sat there in the parking lot looking pretty and expensive during the parade and didn't move.—
Keenan Thompson,
Freep.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Feeling disconnected from a loved one?—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Nab the blanket on sale to wrap up in all season long or get a head start on holiday shopping and gift it to a loved one.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In collaboration with interior design content creators Chris and Julia Marcum, this sweet scalloped rug adds visual interest with a scalloped edge.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
6 Oct. 2025
-
The bacon fat and rendered ham drippings are the backbone of this super simple savory sauce, studded with small pieces of sweet mirepoix and earthy black-eyed peas.—
Elizabeth Mervosh,
Southern Living,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Both Taylors got famous as kids, grew up in public as America’s sweetheart.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
4 Oct. 2025
-
In addition to Euphoria star Elordi, the movie costars Oscar Isaac as Frankenstein, along with Mia Goth (as Frankenstein's childhood sweetheart), and two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz (as an arms dealer not in the book).—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dear. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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