dearly
/ˈdɪəli
/adverb
1Very much: he loved his parents dearly...
- He also knows how to keep them in order without getting annoyed - a virtue some parents would dearly love.
- He loved his parents dearly, but sometimes it creeped him out about how nosy they could be.
- My parents gave me a small dog which I love dearly, but she has caused havoc by urinating on the lawn, staining it yellow.
Synonyms
very much, a great deal, greatly, deeply, profoundly, extremely;
fondly, affectionately, devotedly, tenderly
2With much loss or suffering; at great cost: freedom to worship our religion has been bought dearly...
- He said it would cost the government dearly to buy and maintain existing roads from private operators.
- The tiny lunatic fringe that has jumped on the anti-war bandwagon could cost this country dearly.
- What's more, the fixed cost of a space at home would cost dearly as well.
Synonyms
at great cost, at a high cost, at a high price, with great loss, with much loss, with much suffering, with much sacrifice