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cherish

verb
cher·​ish | \ ˈcher-ish How to pronounce cherish (audio) , ˈche-rish\
cherished; cherishing; cherishes

Definition of cherish

transitive verb

1a : to hold dear : feel or show affection for cherished her friends
b : to keep or cultivate with care and affection : nurture cherishes his marriage
2 : to entertain or harbor in the mind deeply and resolutely still cherishes that memory
Other Words from cherish Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about cherish

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Other Words from cherish

cherishable \ ˈcher-​i-​shÉ™-​bÉ™l How to pronounce cherishable (audio) , ˈche-​ri-​ \ adjective
cherisher \ ˈcher-​i-​shÉ™r How to pronounce cherisher (audio) , ˈche-​ri-​ \ noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for cherish

Synonyms

adore, love, worship

Antonyms

abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe

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Choose the Right Synonym for cherish

appreciate, value, prize, treasure, cherish mean to hold in high estimation. appreciate often connotes sufficient understanding to enjoy or admire a thing's excellence. appreciates fine wine value implies rating a thing highly for its intrinsic worth. values our friendship prize implies taking a deep pride in something one possesses. Americans prize their freedom treasure emphasizes jealously safeguarding something considered precious. a treasured memento cherish implies a special love and care for something. cherishes her children above all

Examples of cherish in a Sentence

a book cherished by many I will always cherish that memory.

Recent Examples on the Web

 Through it all, the image of a tiger, both as the heroic figure in a story that Estrella and El Shine cherish and as graffiti art, accompany the young protagonists. — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, "How Mexican filmmaker Issa López defied expectations with ‘Tigers Are Not Afraid’," 23 Aug. 2019 Peter's memory will be cherished and kept alive by all who loved him. — courant.com, "Peter Mazzadra," 15 Aug. 2019 Linda considered spending time with family and friends a priority, and will forever be cherished in our hearts. — orlandosentinel.com, "Deaths in Central Florida: 8/10," 9 Aug. 2019 This beautiful community, filled with great greenery and wildlife, is a precious piece of paradise that ought to be cherished and protected. — Jeff Forward, Houston Chronicle, "Local pastor is 3rd candidate for Woodlands board Position 7," 29 July 2019 Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, said in the smarty-pants manner that economists are cherished for. — The Economist, "Why everybody is concerned about corporate-bond liquidity," 11 July 2019 His strike in the 2006 FA Cup final to level the score just as five minutes of injury time were announced is one that will be cherished by the Kop forevermore. — SI.com, "50 Most Iconic Football Shirts of All Time," 7 July 2019 The game has given me memories to cherish, like beating Pittsburgh in 1999 at Three Rivers Stadium. — Scott Patsko, cleveland.com, "Phil Dawson retires with the Browns: Read his speech," 2 Aug. 2019 Will there still be sandy beaches or surf breaks to cherish in the future, oceanfront homes left to dream about? — Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, "Can Coastal California Adapt to Climate Change?," 15 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cherish.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of cherish

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for cherish

Middle English cherisshen, from Anglo-French cheriss-, stem of cherir to cherish, from cher dear, from Latin carus — more at charity

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More Definitions for cherish

cherish

verb
How to pronounce cherish (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of cherish

: to feel or show great love for (someone or something)
: to remember or hold (an idea, belief, etc.) in a deeply felt way

See the full definition for cherish in the English Language Learners Dictionary

cherish

verb
cher·​ish | \ ˈcher-ish How to pronounce cherish (audio) \
cherished; cherishing

Kids Definition of cherish

1 : to hold dear : feel or show affection for cherish a friend
2 : to remember or hold in a deeply felt way She cherishes the memory.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cherish

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with cherish

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cherish

Spanish Central: Translation of cherish

Nglish: Translation of cherish for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of cherish for Arabic Speakers

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