endear

verb

en·​dear in-ˈdir How to pronounce endear (audio)
en-
endeared; endearing; endears

transitive verb

1
: to cause to become beloved or admired
her generosity has endeared her to the public
2
obsolete : to make higher in cost, value, or estimation

Examples of endear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That infectious energy has endeared the women of NewJeans — Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein, who range in age from 16 to 19 — to fans both in South Korea and worldwide. Paul Thompson, Billboard, 28 Feb. 2024 After Monday's semifinal victory over Alabama at the Rose Bowl, Jack Harbaugh and his wife Jackie — the parents of Jim, John and Joani — did an exuberant, endearing interview for WXYZ, a TV station in Detroit. Noah Trister, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2024 This dedication to quality and integrity has not only endeared him to a broad audience, including prominent figures like trap superstar Duki, but has also set a high standard for the industry. Javier Hasse, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 Deeply endearing on every level, from its anti-authoritarian politics to its body positivity to general joie de vivre, this is a crowdpleaser through and through (unless the crowd happens to be made up of moral policemen and dogmatic clerics). Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2024 That loyalty has endeared the Randallstown native and St. Frances graduate to thousands of basketball fans in and around the Baltimore area. Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2024 Jason Kelce endeared himself to Eagles fans with his NSFW speech at Philadelphia's Super Bowl parade in 2018. Jason Kelce, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2024 Those burdensome things didn’t endear him to many and with him now a distant memory, the page can be turned on a chapter that wound up having more of a horror show vibe than a feel-good script. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 9 Feb. 2024 His uncompromising bravado against the industrial and feudal elite of the two other dominant political parties — the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Group (PML-N) — has endeared him to many but also led to political impasse and his ultimate downfall. Saleem H. Ali, Forbes, 9 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'endear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of endear was in 1580

Dictionary Entries Near endear

Cite this Entry

“Endear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endear. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

endear

verb
en·​dear in-ˈdi(ə)r How to pronounce endear (audio)
: to cause to become dear or beloved
her generosity has endeared her to the public

More from Merriam-Webster on endear

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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