loved 1 of 2

adjective

as in cherished
granted special treatment or attention her grandparents' constant doting made her feel especially loved

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

loved

2 of 2

verb

past tense of love
1
as in valued
to hold dear patriots who loved their country well enough to die for it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in adored
to feel passion, devotion, or tenderness for a husband who loves his wife more than anything

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in enjoyed
to take pleasure in I love playing Frisbee in the summer rain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in caressed
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner the baby responded to my caresses and kisses by loving me right back

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of loved
Adjective
My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 June 2026 Along with the cooling centers, pools and splash pads will also be available, and well-being checks for friends and loved ones are available through 311. — Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 29 June 2026 In the absence of government help, ordinary Venezuelans dug barehanded through the rubble of the week’s earthquakes for loved ones. — Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 27 June 2026 Others reunite with family members and loved ones, often after months or years of separation by oceans and continents. — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026 When a fatal traffic collision happens in Tarrant County, families don’t just lose a loved one. — William Jones, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2026 Thousands have been reported missing, according to multiple databases being used by families searching for loved ones. — Regina Garcia Cano, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026 In cities across northern Venezuela, neighbors helped each other dig through rubble to search for loved ones, after back-to-back earthquakes killed at least 589 people and left thousands injured. — ABC News, 26 June 2026 More than 36 hours after the quakes, civilians were still searching for loved ones in the wreckage, calling out their names and trying to conduct rescue operations without specialized equipment. — Whitney Eulich, Christian Science Monitor, 26 June 2026
Verb
Aside from the girly designs, Frankies Bikinis is loved for its long-lasting, durable fabrics. — Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 2 July 2026 But the kid-friendly experience the hotel is most loved for is its Charlie and the Chocolate Factory high tea. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 July 2026 That said, this was another movie that IndieWire’s David Ehrlich loved and his rave review arrived as a rare Critic’s Pick. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026 It’s also loved for its rustic appearance, crisp crust, airy interior and potential nutritional benefits, including being easier to digest than many other types of bread. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 28 June 2026 Many people have loved the phrase, but no one loved it more than Ronald Reagan, who used it over and over again in his campaign speeches and his presidential speeches, and most notably in his farewell address in 1989. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026 The wines of Thomas Bachelder sing in his namesake project but also in Le Clos Jordanne (the Chardonnays and Pinots are deeply loved across the country, the Gamay holds my heart). — Kate Dingwall, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Embodying the best of what the FIFA World Cup might hope to be was the enchanting tale of Lawrence adopting Algeria and being loved right back. — Vahe Gregorian july 2, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026 See what Muir himself loved about this region by trekking part or all of the stunning Bishop Pass Trail (about 11 miles out and back) or the Little Lakes Valley Trail. — Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loved
  1. cherished
  2. valued
  3. adored
  4. enjoyed
  5. caressed
  6. beloved
  7. treasured
  8. liked
Adjective
  • And about month after he was taken, federal immigration agents swarmed Charlotte and the very neighborhood that held Omar’s cherished memories.
    — Julia Coin Updated July 2, Charlotte Observer, 2 July 2026
  • For many years, Kirby compiled annual cookbooks featuring the group's favorite recipes from that year, creating a collection that chronicles both memorable meals and cherished friendships.
    — Christina Daves, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
Definition of cherished
Verb
  • Revolut’s latest fund raise valued the firm at $75bn and Storonsky has spoken of a future IPO which could value the business—if someone doesn’t buy it before then – at north of $200bn.
    — Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 3 July 2026
  • Levine Cava said the county would need to sell the property for market rate — and an appraiser once valued the land at $200 million.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
Definition of valued
Verb
  • What followed were 120 goals and three La Liga titles for the Pole, who leaves the Blaugrana as a modern day club legend adored by Culers.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • He has been adored, sanitized, revived, pathologized, sentimentalized, and combed for polite company.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 June 2026
Definition of adored
Verb
  • The brothers were born in India and raised in Australia, where Johnny enjoyed a brief career as a semi professional cricket player.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • Goodson explains that pomegranates thrive in warm climates and are widely enjoyed around the world.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of enjoyed
Verb
  • Electric Bleu is French food caressed with California seasonality and the occasional pop of Aussie nostalgia.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
  • In a video shared by the Broncos from the unveiling, Smith is seen carefully caressed the statue of her son's face just after the curtain drops.
    — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Definition of caressed
Adjective
  • For something slower and more sceney, Bardot-era Le Club 55 remains one of the most beloved lunches on the peninsula and is often visited by the Hollywood crowd.
    — Karli Poliziani, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 July 2026
  • Anixter, Wrigleyville’s beloved ‘Pink Hat Guy,’ died Tuesday night from complications with surgery, according to his family.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of beloved
Verb
  • The question of cultural appropriation Cultural appropriation is generally defined as when people from a dominant culture adopt or exploit a cultural practice that is treasured by another culture, without properly understanding the history or context of that practice.
    — Jeremy David Engels, The Conversation, 23 June 2026
  • The storied tree is treasured not only for its age, stature and beauty, but for connections to the legend of Robin Hood, said to have hidden along with his band of outlaws inside the trunk to escape the Sheriff of Nottingham.
    — Karina Zaiets, USA Today, 19 June 2026
Definition of treasured
Verb
  • Which Beyoncé song would Hart have liked to work into Lestat’s music as an influence?
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • Everything changed when the club were approached with the information that Glasner liked the idea of joining them.
    — Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of liked

Browse Nearby Words

love child
loved
lovelessness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Loved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loved. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on loved

Nglish: Translation of loved for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All