Words of Positivity
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Best-loved

adj.kind, joyfulwarm

What it means

Cherished with exceptional affection among familiar people or things.

Reach for it when praising enduring emotional attachment, not just popularity

The town's best-loved storyteller returned for the library centenary.

Choose between these

6
  • everyday

    favorite

    one option is preferred above the rest

    not when Favorite may reflect taste without deep affection.

  • warm

    beloved

    strong personal or communal love is the exact emphasis

    not when Beloved need not be compared with other familiar choices.

  • warm

    cherished

    care and emotional value have grown over time

    not when Cherished can describe something private rather than widely loved.

  • professional

    popular

    many people choose or approve of the subject

    not when Popularity measures reach and may exist without affection.

  • formal

    enduring

    affection or appeal has lasted across time

    not when Enduring says nothing about how warmly the subject is loved.

  • literary

    treasured

    the subject is protected because of deep personal value

    not when For a public performer, treasured carries an awkward hint of possession.

Said against

3
  • unpopular
  • forgotten
  • disliked

It naturally appears in

3
  • best-loved book

    The best-loved book in the collection bears marks from four generations.

  • best-loved character

    The festival's best-loved character leads the lantern procession.

  • best-loved tradition

    Their best-loved tradition now includes every new family.

Where this comes from

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.