endear
Americanverb (used with object)
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endears,
present (3rd person singular)
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endeared,
past participle, past
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endearing
present participle
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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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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endearsimple
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endearssimple
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have endearedperfect
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has endearedperfect
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am endearingprogressive
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are endearingprogressive
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is endearingprogressive
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have been endearingperfect progressive
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has been endearingperfect progressive
Past
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endearedsimple
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had endearedperfect
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was endearingprogressive
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were endearingprogressive
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had been endearingperfect progressive
Future
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.
See Examples For:
Closer to home, securing a deal in Venezuela would endear Exxon to President Trump, who is pushing for U.S. energy companies to invest $100 billion to repair the country’s dilapidated oil-and-gas infrastructure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
Not how you endear yourself to the locals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 2, 2026
As one can imagine, this does nothing to endear Carol to Laxmi.
From Salon ● Nov. 26, 2025
As he said it, Alcaraz flashed the infectious smile which has helped endear him to crowds globally.
From BBC ● Nov. 16, 2025
Unsurprisingly, the Battle of Bataan does little to endear Filipinos to their occupiers.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
But that’s what endears him to his fans, who appreciate the chthonic split between the aerial skate aesthete and the grieving empath.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
The hothead look isn’t necessarily a good one - though Sirianni endears himself to Eagles fans when he barks at visiting fans.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 26, 2023
What endears you to me is your response to those people.
From Salon ● Nov. 6, 2023
This should not mask the special talent Richarlison possesses, bolted on to an insatiable desire for hard work and goals that endears him to his managers, team-mates and supporters.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2022
It is not something which lasts only when each looks into the other's eyes; for "distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it."
From With God in the World A Series of Papers by Charles H. Brent
Obama endeared himself to voters, especially younger ones, by coming off as the cool college professor who manages to sound erudite without being condescending.
From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2026
She endeared herself to the British public when she appeared in 2010 on the BBC's "Strictly Come Dancing" show where celebrities with no dance experience are paired with a professional partner.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
Ten years ago, Willis endeared himself to the nation with a heart-warming run from qualifying to a second-round tie against one of the greatest players of all time.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
But his avuncular personality endeared him to three conservative colleagues who are now the court’s most senior members.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
He looked over at her and smiled as if that only endeared her to him more.
From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English
Viewers found this endearing, speculating that the robot was “bashful” or suffering from social anxiety.
From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026
It was an unforgettable showcase for O’Flynn, who up to that point had been mostly on the edges of the action as a socially awkward and endearing mayoral assistant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
"He's very endearing, always in a good mood," he said of Liverpool's new signing.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
Hannah Gao, an intern at OpenAI, finds the constant use of “hill-climbing” among co-workers and friends endearing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Juliet scowled—something else that the local louts found very endearing.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
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.
