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
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
Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 12 July 2025
And that, dear reader, might be the funniest line of the night.
—Daniel Brown, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 14 Nov. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for dear
Adjective
President Donald Trump isn't on the same page with key figures in the Make America Great Again movement after a number of U-turns have miffed right-leaning activists on issues dear to their heart.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 12 July 2025
And that, dear reader, might be the funniest line of the night.
—Daniel Brown, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Noun
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
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
See All Example Sentences for dear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dear
Adjective
-
In addition, the Dodgers would land Castro, a valuable utilityman who can play all over the field and protect them against future injuries.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 July 2025
-
The White Sox caught lightning in a bottle with Houser, 32, who used an opt-out clause in his minor-league deal with the Texas Rangers in the middle of May, then signed a one-year, $1.35 million contract with the rebuilding club that turned Garrett Crochet and Erick Fedde into valuable trade chips.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
Adjective
-
The Cincinnati Music Festival The biggest names in R&B, hip-hop, soul and funk are coming to the Queen City for this beloved festival.—
Caroline Ritzie,
The Enquirer,
24 July 2025
-
Deep Thought — the beloved boat that was ripped from Lake Michigan's shoreline in spring after months of abandonment — is officially up for auction.—
Hannah Kirby,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
The results are occasionally adorable: This is a film in which our heroes have to rattle around in a spaceship, Interstellar style, to travel through a wormhole, while other characters can traverse the far reaches of the universe with a surfboard.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
22 July 2025
-
Start In Downtown Lake Placid What was once a town that showed its years is now a reborn, adorable, pedestrian-friendly draw for visitors.—
Rebecca Deurlein,
Southern Living,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
The 2025 festival also had to contend with cancellations by eight different headliners, from indie darlings Julien Baker and Torres (the latter later filled an afternoon slot at the festival) to country star Nate Smith.—
Chris Foran,
jsonline.com,
15 July 2025
-
That timespan marks the return of several comedy category darlings like The Bear, Abbott Elementary, Only Murders in the Building, and Hacks, as well as dramas like The White Lotus, Severance, and The Last of Us.—
Emlyn Travis,
EW.com,
15 July 2025
Adjective
-
But training those drivers is expensive, Merrifield said, so colleges can’t necessarily afford to enroll more students.—
Natalie Yahr,
jsonline.com,
19 July 2025
-
In the wake of the record-breaking wildfires in Los Angeles in January—some of the most expensive and destructive blazes in history—one of the first things California governor Gavin Newsom did was to sign an executive order suspending environmental rules around rebuilding.—
Umair Irfan,
Wired News,
19 July 2025
Adjective
-
The strawberry cake is oily-moist, with a treacly sweet frosting.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
19 July 2025
-
Since July is celebrated as National Ice Cream Month, and Sunday, July 20, marks National Ice Cream Day, Graeter’s is excited to offer a special sweet deal for everyone to enjoy!—
Ronny Maye,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
Noun
-
Just two weeks ago, the Scot had attended Jota’s wedding to his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso, at the 18th-century Igreja da Lapa church in Porto, and was pictured beaming alongside his team-mate and his bride.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
6 July 2025
-
The American sweethearts clad in white and blue are returning for a second season on Netflix.—
Grace Tucker,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
While the currency value falls, the prices of gold, silver and other precious metals tend to rise.—
Prasanna Kumar,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
-
The yellow and silver precious metals have soared 30% and 35% this year, respectively.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dear. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share