love 1 of 2

verb

ˈləv How to pronounce love (audio)
Definition of lovenext
1
as in to adore
to feel passion, devotion, or tenderness for a husband who loves his wife more than anything

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to treasure
to hold dear patriots who loved their country well enough to die for it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to enjoy
to take pleasure in I love playing Frisbee in the summer rain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to caress
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner the baby responded to my caresses and kisses by loving me right back

Synonyms & Similar Words

love

2 of 2

noun

ˈləv How to pronounce love (audio)
1
as in affection
a feeling of strong or constant regard for and dedication to someone her love for her children was truly selfless

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in darling
a person with whom one is in love she is the love of my life

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in liking
positive regard for something a love of chocolate, which I will pay anything to indulge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in affair
a brief romantic relationship he refused to discuss past loves

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 love
Verb
Below are a few to consider for your own stack, written by living authors Kingsolver loves. — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026 But Reed is typically a very motivated player who loves the game. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
That love for the team carried over to Zeke, who remembers cheering for the Broncos growing up and playing on The Blue as a third grader at the Optimist youth football camp. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 1 Oct. 2026 Mike Tomlin’s YouTube video detailing his labor of love of more than a decade is well on its way to a million views in less than 24 hours. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for love
Recent Examples of Synonyms for love
  1. adore
  2. treasure
  3. enjoy
  4. caress
  5. affection
  6. darling
  7. liking
  8. affair
Verb
  • Gore says his commitment to Hammer, his first major acquisition in the film world, is backed by a deeply personal connection, having adored its horrors while growing up in the late 60s and 70s.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Ming and Wah are ten-year-old twins who adore a good mystery.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of adore
Verb
  • After a brief stint in the transfer portal in January, the former Hawklet stayed in Ann Arbor where his length (6-7, 310) and power in the run game are treasured.
    — PJ Green September 16, Kansas City Star, 16 Sep. 2026
  • One aspect of Eloise’s personality that her parents and brother treasure the most is her connection with animals, from family pets to the deer and horses roaming on the ranch.
    — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of treasure
Verb
  • Homegrown chip design firm SkyeChip also enjoyed a blockbuster IPO on the Bursa Malaysia stock exchange in May, surging 300% on its main market debut.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Fans of modernist architecture will find much else to enjoy, too – not least in Ibirapuera Park, with its striking array of mid-century buildings by Oscar Niemeyer, including the pavilion that now houses the superb Museu Afro Brasil.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of enjoy
Verb
  • Breasts are caressed and thighs crisscross; kisses are planted, and occasionally there’s a glimpse of something more graphic.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • In one video, pop singer Madison Beer was seen caressing Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert's face as if the two were shooting a scene straight out of a reality show.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of caress
Noun
  • Nothing seems to be too much trouble for the staff who clearly have an affection for the property and its owners, with many having worked there for decades.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Then, in 2000, Miramax’s aggressive campaigning and the universal affection for 67-year-old Michael Caine handed the veteran actor his second statuette.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of affection
Noun
  • Our favorite dress picks have a variety of styles and versatile features, like darling ruffles, cinching waistlines, and trending silhouettes.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Oct. 2026
  • There’s his drop-dead gorgeous spouse, a huge welcoming home, darling children, and a pillar-of-the-community job that gives him a clean conscience.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of darling
Noun
  • The 37-year-old, clad in a white tank top, loose gray sweatpants and white gym socks, looks back on the years that went into building the home to her liking.
    — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Content creator Josh Lora, also known as @tellthebees, posted on TikTok that people are trying to rewrite the reality of professionalism to their liking—and that those who bring coffee into an interview won’t get the job.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of liking
Noun
  • Leder is a prominent voice in American Jewish affairs, authoring books and regularly appearing as a guest on national news programs.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The report also fails to consider regulatory databases in the United States and the European Union, said Kimberly Wise White, vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs at the American Chemistry Council.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of affair

Phrases Containing love

Browse Nearby Words

lovable
love
love affair
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Cite this Entry

“Love.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/love. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on love

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about love

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