beloved 1 of 2

adjective

bi-ˈləvd How to pronounce beloved (audio)
Definition of belovednext
as in loved
granted special treatment or attention her beloved cat sleeps in its own little bed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

beloved

2 of 2

noun

as in darling
a person with whom one is in love searching for some incredibly romantic spot in which to ask his beloved to marry him

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 beloved
Adjective
The only prescription is more of his beloved liberal democracy, in other words. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026 Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm Elemis is a widely beloved and recommended skincare brand by celebrities, dermatologists, and consumers alike, especially for mature skin. — Anna Traver, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026
Noun
Miller also strategically employs the Pietà in his Confederate Women’s Monument, turning to Michelangelo’s later Depositional group from the Pietà Bandini, in which the dead Christ is not draped on Mary’s lap and knees but undulates across the bodies of his earthbound beloveds. — Horace D. Ballard, Artforum, 22 Apr. 2026 But who, in this case, is the beloved? — New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beloved
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beloved
  1. loved
  2. darling
  3. cherished
  4. sweetheart
  5. favorite
  6. dear
  7. precious
  8. lover
Adjective
  • Kennedy says that this shift in tone didn’t stem from her personal feelings but from the whistleblowers and the families who lost loved ones.
    — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The rest of the photos showed Elizabeth side-by-side with her loved ones, including a silly photo of Elizabeth and Collins in a pool.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of loved
Noun
  • No worries—per this Copenhagen Fashion Week darling, longline nighties are just as trendy as their mini counterparts.
    — Laura Jackson, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Audiences are giving it an 86% so this isn’t just a critical darling, but a popular movie all around.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of darling
Adjective
  • The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Archwell Productions partnered with Beautiful Stories and AJNA Films on the doc about one of America’s most cherished rituals, Girl Scout Cookie season.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
  • His return ensures continuity for fans of the annual tournament and allows Ravech to maintain a cherished assignment despite significant professional changes.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of cherished
Noun
  • Emilia Jones plays Nancy, an interpretation of Bourdain’s high school sweetheart and eventual first wife Nancy Putkoski.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Series regular Golding will play Mel, Angelo’s childhood sweetheart.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of sweetheart
Adjective
  • Donalds is considered the favorite to win in November as Florida has moved significantly to the right in the past decade.
    — Caroline Linton, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Which of the following is your favorite one-injury-away potential league winner?
    — Jess Bryant, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of favorite
Noun
  • Roberts hopes the new restaurant, which is open for lunch and dinner and features a full bar specializing in classic Southern cocktails and bellinis, will give guests a taste of the flavors and comfort he’s held dear for decades.
    — Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 2 Feb. 2026
  • Early on, Leonardo Spinazzola made a mistake similar to the one Billy Gilmour committed last week, one that cost Napoli dear against Torino.
    — James Horncastle, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
Definition of dear
Adjective
  • The study of a patient’s urine was an extremely popular practice in the Middle Ages, even though doctors could tell precious little about what was ailing someone just by looking at a sample in a jar.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Carlsbad and other coastal cities south of Oceanside worry that any plan to keep sand on the shoreline north of them would prevent the precious grains of grit from migrating south in ocean currents to land on their own eroding beaches.
    — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of precious
Noun
  • Talking Animals Books in Grapevine is leading the second annual event, encouraging book lovers to wander beyond Main Street and into the heart of the area's indie literary scene.
    — CBS News Texas Staff, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Storch does not pretend to be a long-distance lover of English football.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of lover

Browse Nearby Words

belongs
beloved
beloveds
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beloved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beloved. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on beloved

Nglish: Translation of beloved 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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of divulge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

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

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

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
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All