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Meaning & use

fondness

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈfɒndnəs/
US/ˈfɑːndnəs/

Meanings

  1. noununcountable

    A warm, gentle feeling of liking and affection for someone.

    Grammar: Usually followed by for: fondness for his grandmother, not fondness to.

    Patterns

    • fondness for someone
    • a fondness between people

    She spoke of her old teacher with great fondness.

    A deep fondness grew between the two neighbors over the years.

    He felt a quiet fondness for the little town where he grew up.

  2. nounsingular

    A liking for a particular thing, habit or activity.

    Grammar: Usually appears as a fondness for something.

    Patterns

    • a fondness for something

    The mayor has a well-known fondness for chocolate.

    His fondness for old movies led him to start a film club.

    Her fondness for long walks keeps her fit.

Common combinations

genuine fondness
There was genuine fondness in her voice when she talked about the team.
a fondness for
He has a fondness for strong coffee.
a deep fondness
I have a deep fondness for this old neighborhood.
mutual fondness
The two writers shared a mutual fondness that lasted decades.
develop a fondness
She developed a fondness for the city after living there.
fondness for the past
His fondness for the past showed in the antiques he collected.

Synonyms and how they differ

affection
Affection is a warmer, more general word for loving care, and it can be stronger than fondness.
liking
Liking is milder and plainer, often meaning only that you enjoy something, while fondness includes warmth.
partiality
Partiality is formal and suggests a clear preference, sometimes an unfair one, whereas fondness is gentle and harmless.
tenderness
Tenderness is gentle, protective love, especially toward a person, so it is more emotional than fondness.

Opposites

dislikeaversion

Word family

fond adjective
having a liking for someone or something
fondly adverb
in a loving or affectionate way
overfond adjective
too fond of someone or something

Commonly confused: fondness or fondle?

fondness vs fondle

Fondle means to touch or stroke, often with affection, and can sound uncomfortable if used about people. It does not mean the feeling of fondness.

Practice

Grandpa's ___ for old jazz records is why his attic is full of them.

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