What does "cherish" mean?
To treat with affection, care, and tenderness; to nurture or protect with care.
Cherish
/ˈt͡ʃɛɹɪʃ/ name, verb
name, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To treat with affection, care, and tenderness; to nurture or protect with care.
- Grammar: cherish is listed as name, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: treasure, admire, adore, adored.
- Useful contrasts: forsaken, despising, dishonoring.
- Usage evidence: People ask me 'why would you want to cherish a piece of junk like that?' But this little beauty means the world to me.
How to use "cherish"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cherish" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cherish" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "cherish" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "cherish" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cherish" is acting as name, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "treasure" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "cherish", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To treat with affection, care, and tenderness; to nurture or protect with care.
"[T]he ſame Sun vvhich only cheriſheth and gently vvarmes his Countrey men, halfe parboyle and tanne other people, and thoſe rayes vvhich ſcorch the aduſted ſoyles of Calabria and Spaine, only varniſh and guild the green hony-ſuckled plaines and hillocks of England; […]"
- 2 be fond of; be attached to wordnet
- 3 To have a deep appreciation of; to hold dear.
"I cherish your friendship."
- 4 To cheer, to gladden. obsolete
"And by the way, as was her wonted guize, / Her merry fitt ſhee freſhly gan to reare, / And did of ioy and iollitie deuize, / Her ſelfe to cheriſh, and her gueſt to cheare: […]"
Proper Noun
- 1 A female given name.
Example
"People ask me 'why would you want to cherish a piece of junk like that?' But this little beauty means the world to me."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cherish"?
Common synonyms include: treasure, admire, adore, adored, adores, adoring.
How do you use "cherish" in a sentence?
People ask me 'why would you want to cherish a piece of junk like that?' But this little beauty means the world to me.
How do you pronounce "cherish"?
Pronounced /ˈt͡ʃɛɹɪʃ/.
Etymology
From Middle English charish, cherishen (“to have affection for, hold dear, treat kindly; to esteem, respect; to cherish; to take care of; to greet; to entertain, treat hospitably; to cheer; to encourage, incite”), from Old French cheriss-, chieriss-, extended stem of cherir, chierir (“to cherish”) (modern French chérir (“to cherish”)), from cher, chier (“dear, dearest”) (from Latin cārus (“beloved, dear”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂- (“to desire, wish”)) + -ir (suffix forming infinitives of second conjugation verbs).