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
Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Her confessions highlight how abandoned Kate, who oddly gets relegated to a side character, must also feel without her dearest friend around.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Feb. 2025
Mead Gruver, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2024
The ad did little good for his daughter in a deep-red state that once held the Cheney family dear but is now thoroughly in Trump’s corner.
—Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dear 
Adjective
Those who want to share memories and a meal in Tyler’s honor are invited to an open house memorial gathering, hosted by his family and their dear friends.
—Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Her confessions highlight how abandoned Kate, who oddly gets relegated to a side character, must also feel without her dearest friend around.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Feb. 2025
Noun
Advertisement The ad did little good for his daughter in a deep-red state that once held the Cheney family dear but is now thoroughly in Trump’s corner.
—Mead Gruver, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2024
The ad did little good for his daughter in a deep-red state that once held the Cheney family dear but is now thoroughly in Trump’s corner.
—Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dear
Adjective
-
Who would think that fermenting a foul-smelling pile of poop could generate a valuable stream of natural gas?—
Erik Kobayashi-Solomon,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Archeologists also found valuable information beneath the Great Wall itself—two residences from the Zhou Dynasty at the northern excavation area.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Picking up a beloved character in her fifties is a big task, particularly one with whom audiences fell in love in her mid-thirties.—
Mark Peikert,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2025
-
There’s some great arts reporting going on at the Washington Post where our beloved Carolina Miranda, who left The Times last year, is engaged in a yearlong project to unpack the aesthetics — and resulting political implications — of the dawning Trump era.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The attraction welcomed a new litter of the adorable, semi-aquatic animal — the North American River Otter — on Wednesday.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
15 Feb. 2025
-
The 63-year-old actor also added three other throwback images of them throughout the years, including an adorable photo of them cuddling in front of the ocean, while another beachside photo included them posing on a cliff overlooking the ocean.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Amazon came out as his top holding in the quarter, while Facebook parent Meta Platforms and AI chip darling Nvidia are in the fund’s top 10.—
Sean Conlon,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2025
-
Borderlands 4 – September 23, 2025 Gearbox's darling looter shooter Borderlands has its next entry in Borderlands 4, which is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in September.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Smart omissions, like leaving out an expensive or nonessential garnish.—
Kendra Vaculin,
Bon Appétit,
11 Feb. 2025
-
Aluminum is generally more recyclable, and less expensive than plastic.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
This scent is all about that sweet and spicy blend of salted caramel, pistachio, and vanilla.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
11 Feb. 2025
-
While Bleu de Chanel masterfully balances citrus top notes with an amber and creamy base, this takes those latter notes and brings them to life with a sweet and spicy twang.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Order a pre-baked or frozen pie to enjoy at home with your sweetheart.—
Jessica Boehm,
Axios,
11 Feb. 2025
-
Prior to Off-Broadway, the musical will play Kohler, Wis. on March 6, and Bloomington, Ill. on March 8. Drew and Lea, both 48, were high-school sweethearts.—
Dave Quinn,
People.com,
10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The soot covers the faces of workers who spend hours inside every day extracting the precious material from sand.—
Samya Kullab and Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2025
-
People are unnecessarily precious about protecting their seasoning though.—
Wilder Davies,
Bon Appétit,
14 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to dear
Thesaurus Entries Near dear
Cite this Entry
“Dear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dear. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share