dear 1 of 2

adjective

ˈdir How to pronounce dear (audio)
Definition of dearnext
1
as in valuable
commanding a large price caviar has always been among the dearest of foods

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

dear

2 of 2

noun

as in darling
a person with whom one is in love I love you, dear

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 dear
Adjective
The ink also includes the initials of someone dear to his heart, his late grandmother, Joan Merritt. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 24 Sep. 2026 Monster depicts Lizzie keeping a great number of doves as her dear pets, housing them in an elaborate coop out back. — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026
Noun
Early on, Leonardo Spinazzola made a mistake similar to the one Billy Gilmour committed last week, one that cost Napoli dear against Torino. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025 Decked out for the holidays While the angel ornaments sit in a glass case, Donna holds two ornaments on the dining room Christmas tree dear. — Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 14 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for dear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dear
  1. valuable
  2. beloved
  3. adorable
  4. darling
  5. expensive
  6. loved
  7. sweet
  8. sweetheart
Adjective
  • Regional authorities said that the entire caper was conducted within three minutes and that the thieves targeted the most valuable paintings in the museum, which occupies the French old master’s one-time residence.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Bassetti argued that the company’s scale represented an increasingly valuable asset for streamers.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of valuable
Adjective
  • The beloved Southern breakfast chain is known for staying open 24/7, even through severe weather.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The beloved Southern breakfast chain is known for staying open through severe weather and often is a measuring stick of a storm's severity.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of beloved
Adjective
  • That happened just a few weeks after Meta Connect, at which the company was all in on Muse, their agent platform with an adorable mascot.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026
  • In their spare time, these scientists listen to house music, train for marathons, and hang out with the adorable 2026 class of Wunderkind pets.
    — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of adorable
Noun
  • Very often, my darling husband Steven will quietly deliver a sandwich to my desk.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of darling
Adjective
  • Narrowing the spread also weakens the incentive to steer patients toward costlier drugs and to acquire physician practices and infusion clinics — the very behaviors that have made care more expensive.
    — Casey B. Mulligan, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The problem is that these systems are slow, expensive and don’t scale.
    — Reynald Fasciaux, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of expensive
Adjective
  • Granbery was reunited safely with her loved ones, who helped with search and rescue operations and provided critical information to help locate her, the sheriff's office said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The company has also expanded into care and repair and a pre-loved business, extending the life of products while creating additional ways to engage consumers.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of loved
Adjective
  • Acer Laptop Deals Acer Aspire Go 16 Deal Acer's budget laptops are reliable performers for students and on-the-go professionals, and the Aspire Go 16, with a $200 price drop post-Big Deal Days, is a sweet pickup.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But the sum succeeds, teetering deliciously between sweet and savory.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of sweet
Noun
  • On the other side of the river lies my sandbank, where my dark-skinned sweetheart with the heron-beak nose sits.
    — Sanat Pai Raikar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026
  • For every couple who were childhood best friends or high school sweethearts, there’s another who didn’t cross paths until much later in life.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of sweetheart

Browse Nearby Words

deanships
dear
dears
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Cite this Entry

“Dear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dear. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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