Meaning & use
dearness
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Meanings
noununcountableliterary
The state or quality of being loved very much; strong affection felt toward someone.
Grammar: No plural; used with 'the' or no article: 'the dearness of a friend'.
Patterns
- the dearness of someone
The dearness of her grandmother was clear in every letter she wrote.
He spoke of the dearness of old friends and how much they had meant to him.
noununcountableformalBritish
The quality of being expensive or high in price.
Grammar: No plural; often used with 'of': 'the dearness of housing'.
Patterns
- the dearness of something
The dearness of fresh vegetables in winter surprised the shoppers.
They complained about the dearness of fuel and the effect on their budget.
Common combinations
- the dearness of a friend
- He often mentioned the dearness of a friend who had stood by him.
- the dearness of housing
- The dearness of housing makes it hard for young people to buy.
- speak of someone's dearness
- She would speak of her sister's dearness with tears in her eyes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- affection
- More common and general; it can be felt for anyone or anything, while 'dearness' often suggests a special, cherished bond.
- expensiveness
- A direct but awkward synonym for the cost sense; 'dearness' is slightly more literary.
- belovedness
- Very rare and literary; 'dearness' is a bit more familiar in older writing.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: dearness or daring?
dearness vs daring
Sounds similar but means 'brave or adventurous'; 'dearness' is about love or high cost.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'dearness' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Dearness' can mean the quality of being expensive, so 'the dearness of the tickets' fits. The other options use it as if it meant a physical action or a way of moving, which is not correct.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dearness”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.