loved

American  

[luhvd] / lʌvd /

adjective

1. held in deep affection; cherished.

   loved companions; much-loved friends.

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Other Word Forms

• unloved adjective
• well-loved adjective

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:

• beloved vs. loved

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

So people buried their loved ones in courtyards, at playgrounds and on street corners.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

Citing victim impact statements from Mallett's family, Justice Yehia said his loved ones were struggling to understand how Summers-Smith could have been in the community with a treatment-resistant psychiatric illness.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

"I kept seeing them on social media and just loved them," she said, describing them as "an absolutely wonderful pet".

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

They stayed in place for several minutes, texting loved ones and waiting for an all-clear, but none came.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2026

Was he actually considering deserting all the things he loved?

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• adored
• beloved
• cherished