endear
Americanverb (used with object)
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to make dear, esteemed, or beloved.
He endeared himself to his friends with his gentle ways.
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Obsolete. to make costly.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of endear
Explanation
Things that endear you to others — like your sense of humor or your skill at baking chocolate chip cookies — cause them to be fond of you. The verb endear is almost always followed by the word "to," as in the sentence "The teacher's ready smile and gentle voice endear him to the class of kindergartners." When something endears you to another person, he or she adores you. In the 1500s, endear meant "increase the value of," though it quickly came to mean "make dear," or perhaps to increase the emotional value, especially of another person.
Vocabulary lists containing endear
Grade 10, List 5
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Born a Crime
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It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime
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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.
"He probably wants to endear himself to his father," Minde tells the BBC, but adds that some of the posts are deliberate "provocations".
From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026
One surefire way to endear yourself to your favorite eatery is to evangelize for it.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 3, 2026
That did not endear them to their fans, particularly not after the Dodgers took home a championship trophy because no one could beat L.A. in October.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2025
Hitler's avowed opposition to left-wing politics would later endear him to Germany's capitalists, though that moment had to wait for many years after he explained his beliefs in "Mein Kampf."
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2025
Luke went over to the ancient television and turned the knob, hoping it would endear Toby to the idea of staying put.
From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss
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.
