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Synonyms

fond

1 American  
[fond] / fɒnd /

adjective

fonder, fondest

  1. having a liking or affection for (usually followed byof ).

    to be fond of animals.

  2. loving; affectionate.

    to give someone a fond look.

  3. excessively tender or overindulgent; doting.

    a fond parent.

  4. cherished with strong or unreasoning feeling.

    to nourish fond hopes of becoming president.

  5. Archaic. foolish or silly.

  6. Archaic. foolishly credulous or trusting.

    Synonyms:
    gullible
fond 2 American  
[fond, fawn] / fɒnd, fɔ̃ /

noun

plural

fonds

  1. a background or groundwork, especially of lace.

  2. Obsolete. fund; stock.

fond 1 British  
/ fɒnd /

adjective

  1. predisposed (to); having a liking (for)

  2. loving; tender

    a fond embrace

  3. indulgent; doting

    a fond mother

  4. (of hopes, wishes, etc) cherished but unlikely to be realized

    he had fond hopes of starting his own business

  5. archaic

    1. foolish

    2. credulous

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
fond 2 British  
/ fɔ̃, fɒnd /

noun

  1. the background of a design, as in lace

  2. obsolete fund; stock

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • fondly adverb
  • fondness noun

Etymology

Origin of fond1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English fond, fonned “foolish, silly” (past participle of fonnen “to be foolish”

Origin of fond2

First recorded in 1655–65; from French; fund

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.

Like the former secretary, Mullin has no background in law enforcement or immigration policy, but he’s fond of pretending to be a cowboy or a war veteran.

From Salon • Mar. 18, 2026

Over the course of the season, we became very fond of each other.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

Of course, this is also where things take a turn, because lots of folks just weren’t that fond of the birds.

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2026

He is fond of reminding reporters that he prefers to keep his intentions to himself and a small circle of insiders to avoid potential adversaries knowing his next moves.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

“When they all removed to Brighton, therefore, you had no reason, I suppose, to believe them fond of each other?”

From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

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.