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.
Full of endearing quirks, the cats in Ms. Fullerton’s book serve as crucial wells of inspiration, encouraging authors to exercise their talents in unexpected ways.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Matarazzo shot to fame in 2016 as endearing super-geek Dustin Henderson - a role he calls "the greatest honour of his life".
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
In “Death of an Ordinary Man,” Ms. Perry offers an endearing and achingly real portrait of her father-in-law: his set ways, gentle pleasures, sweet tooth and general contentment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Viewers found this endearing, speculating that the robot was “bashful” or suffering from social anxiety.
From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026
Lee's endearing characters, Atticus Finch and his precocious daughter, Scout, captivated readers while confronting them with some of the realities of race and justice in the South.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
