Dear
adj.kind, joyfulwarm
What it means
Loved deeply or valued through a close personal bond.
Reach for it when expressing sincere affection for someone or something personally important
A dear neighbor brought soup and stayed to stack the firewood.
Choose between these
6- playful
when protective tenderness suits the voice
not when It risks sounding childish, possessive, or sarcastic outside an intimate context.
- everyday
close
when familiarity and trust matter more than overt emotion
not when Close describes the relationship but may not communicate affection on its own.
- everyday
when preference among several options is the actual point
not when A dear friend need not be ranked above others, so favorite may distort the bond.
- warm
when loving care and treasured memories are relevant
not when Cherished suggests protection over time, not merely present affection.
- literary
when deep, enduring love deserves an elevated word
not when Beloved can feel ceremonial or final when the relationship is simply close and current.
- literary
when rarity or personal value makes the bond precious
not when Calling a person treasured can focus on possession rather than mutual closeness.
Said against
3- hated
- unimportant
- estranged
It naturally appears in
3- dear friend
A dear friend remembered the date of her first exhibition.
- hold dear
We hold dear the stories our grandparents recorded.
- dear to someone
The riverside path remains dear to everyone who grew up nearby.
The word family
1Where this comes from
- Wiktionary, English adjective, sense 1: loved or greatly valued opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.