Endear
v.kind, joyfulwarm
What it means
To cause someone to be regarded with growing affection.
Reach for it when describing a quality or action that wins warm liking
Her habit of crediting every helper endeared her to the workshop.
Choose between these
6- playful
grow on
when liking develops gradually after uncertainty
not when The idiom suggests the person was initially unappealing.
- everyday
win over
when initial hesitation turns into approval
not when Winning someone over can concern an argument rather than personal warmth.
- warm
when appealing manner creates immediate delight
not when Charm may be superficial or brief and need not deepen into affection.
- professional
inspire affection
when the emotional result should be stated precisely
not when The phrase is accurate but lacks the natural economy of endear.
- formal
ingratiate
when favor is deliberately sought
not when Ingratiate often implies manipulation and should not replace sincere endearment.
- literary
when fascination holds attention strongly
not when Captivation can arise from performance or mystery without affection.
Said against
4- alienate
- repel
- antagonize
- estrange
It naturally appears in
3- endear someone to
His patience with questions helped endear him to the new trainees.
- endear herself
Maya did not try to endear herself; her quiet fairness did it.
- quality that endears
Curiosity is a quality that endears the guide to young visitors.
The word family
1Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English verb, verb sense meaning to make beloved or liked 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.