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

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

“He played rough, he loved sports, he loved competition,” Beck told KTLA.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026

Every time the team of volunteers finds a body, they post to social media and wait 72 hours in the hopes that the victim's loved ones will come across the picture and claim the person.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

That simple request was the invitation Nones needed to return to the work he loved.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

Except for the ones headed for Pain, he loved all the wandering spirits who came through Deadwood.

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

Related Words

• adored
• beloved
• cherished