endearing
Americanadjective
-
tending to make dear or beloved.
-
manifesting or evoking affection.
an endearing smile.
adjective
Other Word Forms
- endearingly adverb
- self-endearing adjective
- unendearing adjective
- unendearingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of endearing
Explanation
Endearing describes something or someone extremely lovable, like a kitten or your friend's sense of humor. The adjective endearing was originally used in the 1500s to mean "enhancing the value of," and by the 1640s it also meant "making dear or precious." It can still be used both ways, although the second meaning of endearing is most common. Any time you talk about a person or thing that's adorable or extremely likable, you can describe it as endearing.
Vocabulary lists containing endearing
100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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Genesis Begins Again
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Shadowshaper
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Still, with his chest-hugging T-shirt and rugged handsomeness, Mr. Bernthal recalls John Travolta in his early prime rather than the sweaty, disheveled but endearing desperado memorably created by Mr. Pacino.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
Tom Nolan notes that the author “interweaves her endearing characters’ voices in wonderful ways” in her arresting debut work.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
The Sun's Felicity Cross gave it five stars, saying that despite being "awkward", it was "endearing, and full of fun banter".
From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026
There have also been endearing moments that have captured the public's attention.
From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026
Lee's endearing characters, Atticus Finch and his precocious daughter, Scout, captivated readers while confronting them with some of the realities of race and justice in the South.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
