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 Such distinctions, however, did not deter Johnson from seizing more chances to endear himself to Trump. David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024 When Chelsea chose Jimmy in the end, Trevor seemed genuinely devastated, and that endeared him to fans even more. Sam Reed, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2024 Tommaso also has the love of the town’s most stunning woman, Lucia (Jasmine Trinca), which only endears Rocco to him further. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 5 Mar. 2024 The decision to treat hundreds of people also had another benefit for the ambitious Jackson: endearing him to officials across multiple administrations. Michael Kranish, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2024 Murguía is perhaps best known for her role in the emotional climax of the Pixar film, Coco, which follows a 12-year-old aspiring musician who goes up against his family’s ancestral ban on music by endearing the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer. Shania Russell, EW.com, 1 Jan. 2024 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

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 28 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

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