cherish
Americanverb (used with object)
-
cherishes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
cherished,
past participle, past
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cherishing
present participle
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to hold or treat as dear; feel love for.
to cherish one's native land.
-
to care for tenderly; nurture.
to cherish a child.
- Antonyms:
- neglect
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to cling fondly or inveterately to.
to cherish a memory.
- Antonyms:
- relinquish
verb
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to show great tenderness for; treasure
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to cling fondly to (a hope, idea, etc); nurse
to cherish ambitions
Usage
What does cherish mean? Cherish means to treasure—to hold or treat something as dear and often loved. The word implies a deep and active appreciation of the person or thing that’s cherished. The word is especially applied to loved ones, relationships, and fond memories of the time spent with such people. It can also be used in the context of possessions that are very special to you, such as a family heirloom or a favorite toy from childhood. Still, such objects are usually cherished due to their connection to a loved one. For example, you might cherish a locket with a photo of your grandmother in it, or a stuffed animal that your dad won for you at a carnival. Things that you cherish can be described with the adjective cherished, as in These are my most cherished possessions. Example: I love my grandma so much and cherish the time we get to spend together.
Synonym Usage
Cherish, foster, harbor imply giving affection, care, or shelter to something. Cherish suggests regarding or treating something as an object of affection or as valuable: to cherish a friendship. Foster implies sustaining and nourishing something with care, especially in order to promote, increase, or strengthen it: to foster a hope; to foster enmity. Harbor suggests giving shelter to or entertaining something undesirable, especially evil thoughts or intentions: to harbor malice or a grudge.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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cherishernoun
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overcherishverb (used with object)
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cherishableadjective
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overcherishedadjective
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uncherishedadjective
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uncherishingadjective
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well-cherishedadjective
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cherishinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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cherishsimple
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cherishessimple
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have cherishedperfect
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has cherishedperfect
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am cherishingprogressive
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are cherishingprogressive
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is cherishingprogressive
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have been cherishingperfect progressive
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has been cherishingperfect progressive
Past
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cherishedsimple
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had cherishedperfect
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was cherishingprogressive
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were cherishingprogressive
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had been cherishingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of cherish
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English cherisshen, from Middle French cheriss- (long stem of cherir ); equivalent to cher “dear” (from Latin cārus “beloved, dear, expensive”) + -ish 2; cf. charity
Explanation
To cherish something is to care for it deeply, to treasure it, like the way you cherish the time you spend with a favorite person you don't see often. The verb cherish is related to words that mean “costly” and “beloved.” When people really value something, often because they feel emotionally connected to it, they cherish it. Many of us cherish our first cars, and later in life, we cherish the memories of those days, driving around with our friends. Generally, people don't cherish things just because they cost money; they cherish experiences that matter to them.
Vocabulary lists containing cherish
Love Letter Words for Valentine's Day
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The Balcony Scene from "Romeo and Juliet"
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Metamorphosis
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
After Rangzen's death, the head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Penpa Tsering, urged all Tibetans to "cherish" their lives.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
You can find a ho-hum plea for unity in her answer, as well as a guarded concession that Thanksgiving is a holiday that the vast majority of Americans cherish.
From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026
“KCAL has been a part of my identity. And I’m so happy to say I never really had coworkers, I had friends and family, and memories I’ll cherish forever,” Brazill wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
Evans, like many of her team-mates, has memories to cherish from these Glasgow Games.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Maggie refused: “the letters are mine to guard and cherish as long as I live … But do not think me so lost as to ever allow them to be published.”
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Ojai loves pushing boundaries, but it also, rightly, cherishes its proud past.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
Adams is a curious sort, a player Clarke cherishes but who has never evoked major support among the Tartan Army.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026
The singer unknowingly provided the soundtrack for that "first drive home that every parent cherishes".
From BBC ● Mar. 12, 2026
One small-business owner cherishes Mr. Diamond’s many sad songs, which he enjoys listening to on the anniversary of his wife’s death.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 24, 2025
Instead of buying Pa a coffeemaker that would have to be replaced within a year, Ma made him an I love you, Diego mug that he cherishes.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Diana had made her two cherished boys promise to always stand by one other, but almost 30 years after her death they are no longer talking.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
Spain's cherished tourist hotspot of Granada was in shock on Saturday after a rare 5.0-magnitude earthquake woke residents in the middle of the night and damaged buildings.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
While several albums by the Band have become cherished parts of the classic rock canon, Levon never raked in big money.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
The judge recognised how traumatic Atticus' death had been for his family, adding: "His life was ended before it really began. He was very much loved and cherished during his very short life."
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
“The serpent you cherished and warmed,” she noted with satisfaction, “bit the hand that nourished him.”
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Accepting that reality is helpful, as is cherishing what good moments they have.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 10, 2026
Although I love a classic recipe, I wanted baking inspiration that would make me rethink everything I knew about the ones I grew up cherishing.
From Salon ● Dec. 13, 2025
Her Taiwanese heritage and my Swedish background have cemented a foundation that grows and flourishes beyond all barriers, cherishing what SoCal and the world have to offer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2025
What keeps the story sweet is the chemistry between Cannavale and Fitzgerald, who build a bond worth cherishing.
From New York Times ● May 30, 2024
He didn’t grasp it yet—at least not consciously—but he no longer was, and he had a whole new set of fears to discover: the ones that come with cherishing someone you’re very likely to lose.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
