dear

[ deer ]

/ dɪər /

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See synonyms for: dear / dearer / dearest / dearly on Thesaurus.com

adjective, dear·er, dear·est.

beloved or loved: a dear friend.

(used in the salutation of a letter as an expression of affection or respect or as a conventional greeting): Dear Sir.

precious in one's regard; cherished: our dearest possessions.

heartfelt; earnest: one's dearest wish.

high-priced; expensive: The silk dress was too dear.

charging high prices: That shop is too dear for my budget.

excessive; high: a dear price to pay for one's independence.

Obsolete. difficult to get; scarce.

Obsolete. worthy; honorable.

noun

a person who is good, kind, or generous: You're a dear to help me with the work.

a beloved one.

(sometimes initial capital letter) an affectionate or familiar term of address, as to a child or romantic partner (sometimes offensive when used to a stranger, subordinate, etc.)

adverb

dearly; fondly.

at a high price: That painting cost me dear.

interjection

(used as an exclamation of surprise, distress, etc.): Oh dear, what a disappointment! Dear me! What's all that noise?

OTHER WORDS FOR dear

1 darling, cherished.

See synonyms for dear on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of dear

First recorded before 900; Middle English dere, deire, Old English dēore, dīore, dȳre; cognate with Old High German tiuri, Old Norse dȳrr

synonym study for dear

5. See expensive.

OTHER WORDS FROM dear

dearly, adverbdearness, noun

Words nearby dear

Deanna, Dean of Faculty, dean of guild, dean's list, deanthropomorphism, dear, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Dear John, Dear John letter, dearly

Other definitions for dear (2 of 2)

dear²

or dere

[ deer ]

/ dɪər /

adjective, dear·er, dear·est.Archaic.

hard; grievous.

Origin of dear

First recorded before 1000; Middle English dere “fierce, hard,” Old English dēor “brave, bold, severe”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use dear in a sentence

We can still value the fact that, for many years, this person was a dear friend.
Politics and conspiracy theories are fracturing relationships. Here’s how to grieve those broken bonds.|Jeff Schrum|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
Finding the right college you can afford, dear reader, is within your grasp.
Paying for College Can Be Overwhelming. Here's What You Need to Know to Find an Affordable Option|Sean Gregory|February 5, 2021|Time
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our dear father, Captain Sir Tom Moore.
Captain Tom Moore, Fundraising Hero of Britain's COVID-19 Lockdown, Dies at 100|Billy Perrigo|February 2, 2021|Time
JoAnn Fields watched the funerals of two dear friends and leaders in the Filipino community in the last week of January.
Filipino Residents Have Been Hit Hard by COVID – But No One Knows Just How Hard|Maya Srikrishnan|February 1, 2021|Voice of San Diego

Many minutes are spent explaining to dear Aunt Helen how to unmute, telling Uncle Bob that we can't see his head, or asking a cousin to move the yapping puppy farther from the microphone.
Miss Manners: Save me from these interminable video ‘parties’|Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin, Jacobina Martin|February 1, 2021|Washington Post
If it should be said these are general remarks, let it be remembered that they are the dear-bought, result of experience.
Caleb Williams|William Godwin
For a flea, my dear-gentlemen may bring that theirselves; but a b——-, that's a stationary, and born of a bed.
Evan Harrington, Complete|George Meredith
So they decided to take it in to the dear-mother and have her explain it to them.
In Story-land|Elizabeth Harrison
But, hark ye, dear-my-soul, make thou no haste; there is room for all.
Christmas Tales and Christmas Verse|Eugene Field
The singer came rushing down a branch, bristled up, blustering, and calling "Dear-r-r-r!"
A Bird-Lover in the West|Olive Thorne Miller

British Dictionary definitions for dear

dear

/ (dɪə) /

adjective

beloved; precious

used in conventional forms of address preceding a title or name, as in Dear Sir or my dear Mr Smith

(postpositive foll by to) important; closea wish dear to her heart

highly priced
charging high prices

appealing or prettywhat a dear little ring!

for dear life urgently or with extreme vigour or desperation

interjection

used in exclamations of surprise or dismay, such as Oh dear! and dear me!

noun

(often used in direct address) someone regarded with affection and tenderness; darling

adverb

dearlyhis errors have cost him dear

Derived forms of dear

dearness, noun

Word Origin for dear

Old English dēore; related to Old Norse dӯrr

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with dear

dear

In addition to the idiom beginning with dear

dear me

also see:

for dear life
nearest and dearest

dear

OTHER WORDS FOR dear

Origin of dear

synonym study for dear

OTHER WORDS FROM dear

Words nearby dear

Other definitions for dear (2 of 2)

or dere

Origin of dear

Words related to dear

How to use dear in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dear

Derived forms of dear

Word Origin for dear

Other Idioms and Phrases with dear