cherish
Americanverb (used with object)
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to hold or treat as dear; feel love for.
to cherish one's native land.
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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.
Related Words
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
- cherishable adjective
- cherisher noun
- cherishingly adverb
- overcherish verb (used with object)
- overcherished adjective
- uncherished adjective
- uncherishing adjective
- well-cherished adjective
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; charity
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.
And in a must-read essay, he writes that it’s a role he cherishes, but one that also has taken a physical, financial and mental toll.
Though she cherished her hometown, in letters to her friend Welty sometimes chafed at its limitations: In 1933, she listed her home address in correspondence to Lyell as “Loose Ends, Mississippi.”
Her family said Hogg had died "peacefully" at a hospice surrounded by "cherished friends and family".
From BBC
This is not a placid sports city cherished for its patience.
As each segment played, Rosenthal and the cast watched, fully absorbed with smiles across their faces, while the audience sat rapt, revisiting these cherished moments.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
