Meaning & use
values
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“values” is a form of “value”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
The beliefs and principles that a person or group considers important and uses to decide how to act.
Grammar: Usually plural in this sense: share the same values.
Patterns
- share values
- values such as honesty
Honesty and kindness are important values in our family.
The company's values are printed on the office wall.
Moving abroad made her think about the values she grew up with.
nounplural
The amounts of money that things are worth, or how useful or important things are.
Grammar: The plural of value: property values, house values.
Patterns
- property values
- rising values
Property values in the area have risen sharply.
The shop checks the values of old coins before buying them.
New schools can raise home values in a neighborhood.
nounpluraltechnical
Numbers or quantities assigned to something, such as a measurement or a variable in a calculation.
Grammar: Used in math, science and computing: the values in a column.
Patterns
- the values of something
- enter values
Enter the values in the table and press calculate.
The function returns two values at the same time.
Normal blood pressure values vary by age.
verbtransitive
Thinks that someone or something is very important or worth a lot.
Grammar: Third person singular of value: she values her time.
Patterns
- value something highly
- value someone as a friend
She values honesty above everything.
The firm values its older customers.
He values his time off more than extra pay.
Word forms
| singular | value |
|---|---|
| past tense | valued |
| -ing form | valuing |
Common combinations
- core values
- Respect is one of our core values.
- traditional values
- They teach traditional values at the village school.
- shared values
- The team's shared values keep it together.
- property values
- New roads can lower property values.
- moral values
- Moral values begin at home.
- values something highly
- The school values good manners highly.
Synonyms and how they differ
- principles
- Principles are rules for behavior you will not give up, while values are the wider things you care about.
- ethics
- Ethics is a more formal word for a system of right and wrong, whereas values can be personal preferences.
- beliefs
- Beliefs are ideas you hold to be true, but values are what you consider important and worth acting on.
- cherishes
- As a verb, cherishes is warmer and implies deep affection, while values is calmer and more general.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: values or virtues?
values vs virtues
Virtues are good qualities of character, such as patience, while values are the things a person holds important.
Practice
The two friends get along because they share the same ____ about honesty and hard work.
Choose one answer.
Values are the beliefs a person thinks are important. Valuables are expensive objects, and valuations and prices concern money.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “values”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.