dearly

dearly — adverb

1. to a very strong degree — used with verbs that express feelings or desires, such

1.adverbB1
Definition

to a very strong degree — used with verbs that express feelings or desires, such as love, want, or wish, to show that the feeling is deep and genuine

Example

Anjali loved her grandmother dearly and visited her every Sunday.

love + dearly for expressing deep affection

The Chen children dearly wanted a puppy for their birthday this year.

Common collocations
  • love dearly
  • dearly beloved
  • would dearly love
  • want dearly
  • wish dearly
Synonyms
  • very much

    neutral in register; works with a wider range of verbs

  • deeply

    suggests profound emotional depth; used with 'love', 'care', 'regret' but not 'want'

  • greatly

    emphasizes large degree; combines with 'admire', 'appreciate', 'benefit' but sounds more formal

Antonyms
  • slightly

    opposite in terms of degree — 'I slightly preferred the blue one'

  • hardly

    opposite in terms of intensity — 'I hardly wanted to go'

Grammar Patterns

dearly + [love/want/wish/miss]

Usage Note

Only works with verbs of emotion or desire — 'love', 'want', 'wish', 'miss', 'long for'. Not used with action verbs ('I dearly ate lunch' is unnatural). 'Would dearly love + infinitive' is a common fixed pattern for expressing a strong wish in a polite way.

Common Mistakes

We dearly enjoyed the concert.
We greatly enjoyed the concert.
'dearly' does not naturally combine with 'enjoy'; use 'greatly' instead.
I dearly need a rest.
I really need a rest.
'need' is a state, not an emotion; use 'really' or 'badly'.

2. requiring a very large amount of money to obtain — used when someone spends far

2.adverbB2
Definition

requiring a very large amount of money to obtain — used when someone spends far more than the usual or expected price for an item or service

Example

The couple paid dearly for the antique vase at the auction in London.

pay dearly for [item] — spending a large sum

Romi's mistake cost her dearly when the repair bill for the car arrived.

Common collocations
  • pay dearly for
  • cost dearly
  • paid dearly
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • cheaply

    opposite manner of payment — 'We bought the furniture cheaply at the flea market.'

  • at a bargain

    opposite financial outcome — 'She got the bag at a bargain.'

Grammar Patterns

pay dearly for [noun phrase]

Usage Note

Most common with the verb 'pay'. The price is financial and expressed or implied in context. 'Cost someone dearly' is also a fixed expression where 'cost' means 'require payment of a large amount'.

Common Mistakes

The tickets were dearly expensive.
The tickets were extremely expensive.
'dearly' modifies the verb 'pay' or 'cost', not the adjective 'expensive'.
I bought it dearly.
I paid dearly for it.
'dearly' needs the verb 'pay' (or 'cost') to sound natural when talking about price.

3. used when someone suffers serious harm, pain, or loss because of something they

3.adverbB2
Definition

used when someone suffers serious harm, pain, or loss because of something they did or something that happened — the price is measured in hardship, not in money

Example

Asher paid dearly for ignoring the early signs of the lung disease.

pay dearly for ignoring — negative consequence of inaction

The coastal town paid dearly when the factory closed and jobs disappeared.

Common collocations
  • pay dearly for
  • cost dearly
  • pay dearly
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • with ease

    opposite of experiencing difficulty — 'She passed the exam with ease'

  • painlessly

    opposite of suffering — 'The transition happened painlessly'

Grammar Patterns

pay dearly for [mistake/action]

cost [someone] dearly

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 2 (EXPENSIVELY): sense 2 refers to a financial price, while sense 3 refers to suffering, loss, or damage. The same sentence 'His mistake cost him dearly' could match either sense depending on context — financial loss or personal suffering. The verb 'pay' is by far the most common verb used.

Common Mistakes

We dearly suffered from the storm.
We suffered dearly from the storm.
'dearly' must follow the verb, not precede it, in this sense.
I dearly lost the game.
I paid dearly for losing the game.
'pay dearly for' is the natural structure; 'dearly' alone does not attach to 'lose'.

4. showing love and tenderness through gentle actions or affectionate words — the f

4.adverbB2
Definition

showing love and tenderness through gentle actions or affectionate words — the focus is on the quality of emotional care, not the strength of the feeling

Example

The grandmother hugged each grandchild dearly at the big family reunion.

hug + dearly — physical gesture done with love

Anthony kissed his daughter dearly before tucking her into bed at night.

Common collocations
  • speak dearly of
  • think dearly of
  • kiss dearly
  • hug dearly
Synonyms
  • fondly

    very close in meaning; slightly more literary

  • warmly

    emphasizes friendliness and kindness; wider verb range

  • tenderly

    suggests gentleness and care; often used with physical gestures

Antonyms
  • coldly

    opposite manner — 'She spoke coldly to the stranger at the door'

  • indifferently

    opposite of caring — 'He treated the problem indifferently'

Grammar Patterns

[verb] dearly — e.g. hug dearly, speak dearly of

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (VERY MUCH): sense 1 measures the intensity of a feeling ('I love you dearly' = 'I love you very much'), while sense 4 describes how an action is performed ('She hugged him dearly' = 'She hugged him in a loving way'). The two can overlap — 'He loved her dearly' could express either intensity or manner, depending on context.

Common Mistakes

She dearly smiled at the baby.
She smiled at the baby dearly.
Less natural; 'dearly' works better with verbs of physical affection (hug, kiss) or speech (speak of, think of) than with facial expressions.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All three adverbs intensify emotions or states, but they attach to different verb sets. 'Dearly' is the most restricted — it pairs almost exclusively with love, want, wish, and miss, and often carries a gentle, heartfelt tone. 'Deeply' covers a wider emotional range (love, care, regret, concern, hurt) and suggests something profound rather than merely intense. 'Greatly' is the most formal and is used with verbs like admire, appreciate, benefit, and influence. You can say 'I deeply regret the mistake' but not 'I dearly regret the mistake'; you can say 'I greatly appreciate your help' but 'I dearly appreciate your help' would sound odd. In casual speech, 'very much' is the safe all-purpose alternative.

dearly ↗deeply ↗greatly ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • so dearly
  • very dearly

Phrases

  • pay dearly for
  • cost dearly

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

From Old English 'dēorlīce', meaning 'in a costly or precious manner'. The word is formed from 'dēore' (meaning 'dear, precious, beloved') and the adverb suffix '-līce' (modern -ly). In early English it referred mainly to costliness or expense; by the 13th century it was already used for emotional attachment ('held dear'). The sense of 'at great cost (in suffering)' emerged by the 16th century. Modern English uses all three threads — financial cost, emotional intensity, and affectionate manner — depending on the verb it modifies.