1
as in affectionate
feeling or showing love
they were a loving family, supporting each other when times were bad
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in careful
taking, showing, or involving great care and effort
the homemade costume clearly showed the loving work that had gone into it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in valuing
to hold dear
patriots who loved their country well enough to die for it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in adoring
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 enjoying
to take pleasure in
I love playing Frisbee in the summer rain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in caressing
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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of loving
Christopher Cann, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
On Tuesday, thousands of people gathered at Skyline Church in Rancho San Diego to remember Craven — not only as a police officer but as a loving daughter, sister and friend.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Oct. 2025
James Manso, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2025
The artist loving auteur should make a movie about these guys.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loving
Adjective
In the year since her death, Massey's relatives described her in interviews as a loving mother who cared deeply for her family, taking the role as cook at their family barbecues.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
On Tuesday, thousands of people gathered at Skyline Church in Rancho San Diego to remember Craven — not only as a police officer but as a loving daughter, sister and friend.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
The world of fragrance continues to evolve faster than ever, with our consumers loving fragrance more than ever.
—James Manso, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2025
The artist loving auteur should make a movie about these guys.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loving
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loving
Adjective
-
The shelter explained that Bowie is a friendly, affectionate dog who thrives with structured exercise and engagement.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The point wasn’t to trash the original but to honor it with affectionate exaggeration.—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Step by careful step, Holbrook climbed, holding out bologna and cheese until two pairs of cautious eyes peeked back.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
An OpenAI market debut could be the biggest in history, valuing the company at $1 trillion, according to Reuters.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Despite having the same 6-2 record, the selection committee appears to be going off the old eye test instead of valuing head-to-head matchups.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
But the inevitable bite is that Brigitte and Kevin will have to say goodbye to many adoring customers and staff.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The depth of humanity Kosztolányi brings to the sorrowful life of Skylark and her adoring parents is magical, and rewards anyone who overcomes its modest premise.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Austin Reaves is enjoying the best stretch of his NBA career, and Redick has seen contributions from a variety of players night after night.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Lomax not only wrote the song but also stars in the commercial, which portrays him enjoying the Biggie Bag combo meal, a scene that turns into a lively celebration of music and food.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The Young Pope star was seen caressing Coan’s back and whispering in her ear.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The singer was spotted in pictures shared to social media, gently caressing the baby bump of his romantic partner.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
3 Sep. 2019
Adjective
-
The most meticulous work on this subject was carried out by David Noble, a historian of technology.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Ramon is known for making meticulous in-court analyses for bail and custody decisions.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
And there were many others in the floundering nation-states of Asia and Africa who succumbed to the American ideology of individual aggrandizement and self-cherishing.—
Pankaj Mishra,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
-
And in that there is love too—and that is worth cherishing.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loving. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share