- present participle of endear.
endearing
Americanadjective
-
tending to make dear or beloved.
-
manifesting or evoking affection.
an endearing smile.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of endearing
Explanation
Endearing describes something or someone extremely lovable, like a kitten or your friend's sense of humor. The adjective endearing was originally used in the 1500s to mean "enhancing the value of," and by the 1640s it also meant "making dear or precious." It can still be used both ways, although the second meaning of endearing is most common. Any time you talk about a person or thing that's adorable or extremely likable, you can describe it as endearing.
Vocabulary lists containing endearing
100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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Genesis Begins Again
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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.
Viewers found this endearing, speculating that the robot was “bashful” or suffering from social anxiety.
From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026
One of the most endearing moments in our afternoon happens when his teenage son, Callum, calls looking for something around the house.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
Water voles have been functionally extinct in Surrey since the early 2000s, but co-ordinated reintroduction and habitat improvement efforts by nature restoration groups are working to help the endearing species thrive again.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
Even when she became tongue-tied and had to laugh her way out of it, her slips became endearing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
To strip off like that—yes, her endearing attempt to seem eccentric, her stab at being bold had an exaggerated, homemade quality.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
