loved
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of loved
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; love ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
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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.
Andrew Wilson’s “I Wanna Be Loved by You,” with a seductive cover image of the actress, offers a surprisingly sensible life history in quickfire snippets of information, or “100 Takes.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
He repaid the governor’s disdain by dubbing him “Mr. Hair Gel” in his memoir, “The Guy You Loved to Hate: Confessions from a Reality TV Villain.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
"Loved ones are throwing themselves at the bodies, touching the corpses... while organising mourning rituals bringing together loads of people", Jean Marie Ezadri, a civil society leader in Ituri, told AFP last week.
From Barron's • May 25, 2026
Alastair Campbell, a longstanding republican, posted: "Excellent speech by King Charles... Loved the confidence in British and European values."
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
“Crack—I loved the sound of the bat hitting the ball. Loved running ’round bases and sliding into home.”
From "Ghost Boys" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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.
