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
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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.
His obsession with late-night television is almost endearing, like a child who bursts into tears on their birthday because someone smooshed a cupcake into their cheek.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
"He really has such an endearing personality," she told AFP earlier this week as she cradled him at her home in the southeastern town of Villy-le-Pelloux.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
Grace dubs his new friend “Rocky,” and their trans-galactically nutty friendship is one of the most endearing relationships between man and thing since Tom Hanks met Wilson the volleyball in “Cast Away.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
The pop megastar’s new album “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.” is an endearing full-body immersion into club music.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026
It’s actually a little endearing to catch him off guard.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
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.
