as in cherished
granted special treatment or attention
her grandparents' constant doting made her feel especially loved
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in valued
to hold dear
patriots who loved their country well enough to die for it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in adored
to feel passion, devotion, or tenderness for
a husband who loves his wife more than anything
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in enjoyed
to take pleasure in
I love playing Frisbee in the summer rain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in caressed
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of loved
Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Such a quick commute and maintaining close ties with loved ones clearly worked in Chelsea’s favour.
—Simon Johnson, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Folks in the South like to throw a party, gather for backyard barbecues, and celebrate the holidays with lots of loved ones around.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2026
Most importantly, the Sugar Bowl Academy community will continue to be there in the months and years ahead for the families that have lost loved ones.
—Jeffrey Cook, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
The goal of the board is to bring justice and closure to families who lost loved ones in racially-motivated killings that have gone unsolved.
—Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
The Godfather actor died surrounded by loved ones on February 16, per his wife Luciana.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Even today, families continue searching for loved ones, uncertain whether they are imprisoned or dead.
—Pegah Banihashemi, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
These days, shopping for pre-loved pieces has never been more convenient, with resale platforms and online auctions offering access to everything from last season’s Prada sneakers to a rare John Galliano gown.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 14 Feb. 2026
Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
This humble vegetable is loved by kids and adults alike and is easy to prepare.
—Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026
Shopping for pants online can be tricky, but these Levi’s have racked up more than 18,500 perfect five-star ratings from Amazon shoppers who loved them right out of the box.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Feb. 2026
Her juicy Rare Beauty lip gloss (a top brand loved by Sephora teens) prompted a statement from Selena Gomez.
—Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 20 Feb. 2026
In Fischer’s telling, the creative and business sides are interwoven and inseparable from each other and from the personal relationships — their friendships and rivalries with each other but also their relationships with those who worked for them or loved them.
—Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Dane and the Grey’s writers gradually transformed Mark from a hot, swaggering jerk into a guy loved enough to have the hospital renamed after him (and his equally doomed love, Lexie Grey, played by Chyler Leigh) when the character died.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
Viewers simultaneously loved and hated watching it.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2026
Will miss you Eric and loved our time together.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Grateful for time away with loved ones.
—Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Such a quick commute and maintaining close ties with loved ones clearly worked in Chelsea’s favour.
—Simon Johnson, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Folks in the South like to throw a party, gather for backyard barbecues, and celebrate the holidays with lots of loved ones around.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2026
Most importantly, the Sugar Bowl Academy community will continue to be there in the months and years ahead for the families that have lost loved ones.
—Jeffrey Cook, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
The goal of the board is to bring justice and closure to families who lost loved ones in racially-motivated killings that have gone unsolved.
—Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
The Godfather actor died surrounded by loved ones on February 16, per his wife Luciana.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Even today, families continue searching for loved ones, uncertain whether they are imprisoned or dead.
—Pegah Banihashemi, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
These days, shopping for pre-loved pieces has never been more convenient, with resale platforms and online auctions offering access to everything from last season’s Prada sneakers to a rare John Galliano gown.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
This humble vegetable is loved by kids and adults alike and is easy to prepare.
—Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026
Shopping for pants online can be tricky, but these Levi’s have racked up more than 18,500 perfect five-star ratings from Amazon shoppers who loved them right out of the box.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Feb. 2026
Her juicy Rare Beauty lip gloss (a top brand loved by Sephora teens) prompted a statement from Selena Gomez.
—Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 20 Feb. 2026
In Fischer’s telling, the creative and business sides are interwoven and inseparable from each other and from the personal relationships — their friendships and rivalries with each other but also their relationships with those who worked for them or loved them.
—Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Dane and the Grey’s writers gradually transformed Mark from a hot, swaggering jerk into a guy loved enough to have the hospital renamed after him (and his equally doomed love, Lexie Grey, played by Chyler Leigh) when the character died.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
Viewers simultaneously loved and hated watching it.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2026
Will miss you Eric and loved our time together.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loved
Adjective
-
His long arm of hate is reaching out to Hispanic Americans and to our cherished monuments.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Whether antiques, cherished knickknacks, or heirlooms, items that are very delicate and/or precious to the customer are typically items house cleaners won’t want to mess with in order to cut down the risk of damaging them.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Made all the more legendary following her tragic death in August 1997, the 12-carat ring was valued at $37,500 in 1981 dollars—which translates to roughly $132,913 in 2025 dollars.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Though the awards, which are valued at about $8,000 per student, were initially reserved for low-income students and those with disabilities, the program is now open to all.—
Annie Martin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This broadleaf evergreen is adored for its long, drooping flower clusters.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Raha adored the Belgian director Chantal Akerman.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Palmerston enjoyed a friendly rivalry with Britain’s most famous cat, 10 Downing Street’s Larry, who just celebrated 15 years in his post.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Argentines join celebrations in Buenos Aires Thousands of Argentines gathered in Buenos Aires’ Chinatown to celebrate the Lunar New Year and enjoyed dragon and lion dances on the main stage, alongside martial arts demonstrations.—
Ken Moritsugu,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In a video shared by the Broncos from the unveiling, Smith is seen carefully caressed the statue of her son's face just after the curtain drops.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
-
In one photo, the couple posed on the beach while Wyatt caressed her growing baby bump.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
La España, one of the area’s most beloved panaderías, is a short walk away, and Latidos coffee shop is right next door for an easy morning stop.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
-
His arrest also poses a serious reputational and constitutional risk for the monarchy, whose popularity has declined following the death of the beloved Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Bridgerton treats it as though every woman got multiples of their yearbook photo to hand around as headshots, and Benedict’s taking what would have been treasured personal heirlooms and just shuffling through them and tossing out anyone with the wrong hair color.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
-
He’ll always be treasured here for all that helped lead to, of course.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Miller liked Codie’s stats, but the coach also emphasized that those nine points and six rebounds didn’t accurately reflect how effective Codie played against an imposing frontline for Missouri.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The Duke of York liked bold ideas.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loved. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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