Synonyms for

Dearly

Verb / ˈdɪrli: / Another word for dearly — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

in a way that is full of love or affection; very much; with great cost or sacrifice

Synonyms & similar words

affectionately dear inaheartfeltway deeply fondly passionately affectionately tenderly ardently earnestly intensely devotedly warmly heartily sincerely strongly keenly doting adoringly endearingly romantically dear beloved

Synonyms by register

Formal

greatly profoundly exceedingly intensely

Informal

a lot very much loads tons

Literary

ardently fervently fondly

Antonyms

cheaply inexpensively economically frugally poorly

Common collocations

  • miss dearly
  • love dearly
  • paid dearly
  • hold dearly
  • cherish dearly
  • cost dearly
  • need dearly

Word family

noun dearness
adjective dear
adverb dearly

Usage note

Often used to express strong affection or a high price. 'Paid dearly' implies suffering a negative consequence for something.

Example sentences

  1. She missed her grandmother dearly.
  2. He paid dearly for his mistake.
  3. They love each other dearly.
  4. She cried dearly when she lost her favorite toy.
  5. The couple sacrificed dearly to save money for their dream house.

Quotes

  • Love is not just a feeling of happiness. It's a willingness to sacrifice and pay dearly for another's well-being. - Unknown
  • The things we love, we have to learn to leave alone. We have to learn to pay dearly for them and then let them go. - Jack Kornfield
  • We pay dearly for our dread of the unexpected. - Gloria Steinem

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