loved
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of loved
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; love ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
Compare meaning
How does loved compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Your loved ones are the most important people in your life, usually your family members and closest friends. The adjective loved can describe anything you especially cherish. If you have objects, places, pets, or people in your life that you adore, you know what it means when something is loved. A toddler might insist on bringing her loved teddy bear everywhere. You'll often find this adjective modified by words like "well" or "much," and synonyms include "cherished" and "beloved."
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.
“I couldn’t communicate with the woman I loved directly, but I got the dopamine hit from AImee that I used to get from her.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
Nancy did, which Debbie loved hearing about but didn’t resent.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
Merky called it a "blistering debut novel", and Stormzy declared that he "loved it".
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Vagner loved the Santa Monica Pier, which he’d seen in a video game he’d played with his teenage son in Rio.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
I wanted to tell him I loved him.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
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.
