dearadjective
uk/dɪər/us/dɪr/dear adjective (LOVED)
B2 loved or liked very much:
A1 used at the beginning of a letter to greet the person you are writing to:
More examples
- We will always remember our dear departed friends.
- In loving memory of my dear husband, who departed this life on 5 May, 1978.
- My dear daughter arranged this whole holiday for me.
- Emily is such a dear, kind person - she would never hurt anyone.
- Look what those dear boys have bought me for my birthday!
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Loving and in love
- absence
- absence makes the heart grow fonder idiom
- adoring
- affection
- apple
- carry
- fondly
- gaga
- have (got) it bad idiom
- head over heels (in love) idiom
- infatuated
- infatuation
- lose
- puppy love
- romance
- romantic
- serious
- smitten
- stuck
- sweep sb off their feet idiom
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
dear adjective (EXPENSIVE)
comparative dearer, superlative dearest mainly UK costing too much:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Costing too much
- break
- capital intensive
- cheap
- cost
- cost an arm and a leg/a small fortune idiom
- costly
- daylight robbery
- highway robbery
- knock
- knock sb back (sth)
- money pit
- not come cheap idiom
- over the odds idiom
- overcharge
- pretty
- pricey
- set sb back (sth)
- steep
- stiff
- usury
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Idiom(s)
dearexclamation
uk/dɪər/us/dɪr/also old-fashioned dearie informalA2 used in expressions of anger, disappointment, sadness, or surprise:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: interjections
- (well) what do you know! idiom
- aiyo
- alas
- aw shucks
- awesomesauce
- bam
- bless
- boo
- charming
- good show idiom
- goodness
- heck
- hot dog! idiom
- same to you idiom
- talk
- use your loaf idiom
- voilà
- wake up! idiom
- what an idea! idiom
- yes
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dearnoun
uk/dɪər/us/dɪr/[ C usually singular ] informal a kind person:
[ as form of address ] used to address someone you love or are being friendly to, not used between men:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
People having good qualities
- advertisement
- altruism
- angel
- be the salt of the earth idiom
- brick
- bunch
- enchant
- enchantress
- gem
- jewel
- not be as black as you are painted idiom
- paragon
- poppet
- rough diamond
- saint
- salt
- softie
- sweetheart
- sweetie
- treasure
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