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
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Recent Examples of dear
Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Uncle William had been nearly as dear to me as my father, all my life.
—Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2024
Somehow the ethereal little dears were inapprehensible without words.
—Tom Wolfe, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dear
Adjective
Mark Mardini became a dear friend.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Uncle William had been nearly as dear to me as my father, all my life.
—Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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
Somehow the ethereal little dears were inapprehensible without words.
—Tom Wolfe, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dear
Adjective
-
In other security news, OpenAI is ditching passwords in favor of hardware security keys, which is a welcome change considering how valuable ChatGPT accounts can be, especially for those willing to shell out money for pro-level accounts.—
Alan Henry,
PC Magazine,
1 May 2026
-
The non-profit, Kids First Chicago, told CBS News Chicago that parents also expressed concern over the loss of valuable learning time.—
Asal Rezaei,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
That looks like a straight between the subscribers and young Wilfred, who was left cursing his beloved Palace for conceding that stoppage-time goal at Anfield, denying him a precious four-pointer.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
And her performance here feels more like an evolution of a beloved character rather than empty fan service.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
The casting featured a deep roster of models, from elders to adorable kids, many the children of staffers.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
-
Hop on over to neighboring Mad Martha’s for ice cream, Murdick’s for fudge, and the adorable Edgartown Books for beach reads.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
This darling wooden fence is perfect for small spaces.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, Anthropic is emerging as another major market darling, particularly among institutional investors.—
Alexa LoMonaco,
CNBC,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Easily the riskiest entry of the year so far, this expensive — $200 million but who’s counting — Amazon MGM Studios gamble, powered by Ryan Gosling’s star turn as a lonely astronaut, has made $573 million globally, justifying its steep costs.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
2 May 2026
-
The music power couple paid nearly $200 million for a Malibu residence designed by Tadao Ando, marking the most expensive home ever sold in California up until that point (the following year, another mansion changed hands for $210 million, a record that still holds).—
Joyce Chen,
Architectural Digest,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Our thoughts and prayers are with Jack’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.—
Eleanor Nash
Updated May 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 May 2026
-
Skeletal remains are air-dried, processed and returned to loved ones as powder in an urn or shaped as stones.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Nobody wants a grammar correction popping up in the middle of a sweet message from their partner.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
-
Initially shy and reserved, according to her foster family, Cindy Lou is learning to come out of her shell and show her charming, sweet side.—
Maryanne Dell,
Oc Register,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Dolly Parton is a living doll, a sweetheart.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
6 May 2026
-
The Mooneys were high school sweethearts and have been married for 62 years.—
John Lauritsen,
CBS News,
5 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dear. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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