fondness

fondness — noun

1. a warm, gentle feeling of liking someone that makes you care about them — the ki

1.nounB1
Definition

a warm, gentle feeling of liking someone that makes you care about them — the kind of affection you feel toward close friends and family members

Example

Amani felt a deep fondness for her grandmother, who had taught her to cook.

fondness for [person]

The way Brooke spoke about her hometown showed her fondness for the place.

show fondness for [place]

Common collocations
  • deep fondness
  • great fondness
  • genuine fondness
  • fondness for [person]
  • feel fondness
  • show fondness
  • remember with fondness
  • speak of with fondness
Synonyms
  • affection

    stronger and more emotionally involved than fondness; suggests deeper investment

  • tenderness

    emphasises a soft, caring quality often shown through gentle actions or words

  • attachment

    implies a close emotional bond formed over time, sometimes with a sense of dependency

  • liking

    more general and less intense than fondness; can describe anything from casual preference to genuine warmth

Antonyms
  • dislike

    a straightforward opposite — the absence of positive feeling

  • aversion

    stronger than dislike; implies active avoidance rather than mere lack of warmth

Grammar Patterns

fondness for [someone]

with fondness

feel/show fondness

Usage Note

The object of fondness in this sense is typically a person, animal, or place tied to personal memories. Frequently follows the pattern 'have/show/feel a fondness for [someone]'. Also common in the phrase 'with fondness' after verbs like 'remember', 'speak', or 'think'.

Common Mistakes

She has a fondness of her younger brother.
She has a fondness for her younger brother.
The correct preposition after 'fondness' is 'for', not 'of'.
He declared his fondness for her at the wedding.
He declared his love for her at the wedding.
'Fondness' describes a gentle, warm feeling, not the strong romantic emotion appropriate for a serious declaration.

2. the enjoyment or pleasure you get from doing something you like — especially a h

2.nounB2
Definition

the enjoyment or pleasure you get from doing something you like — especially a hobby, type of food, or activity that you return to again and again

Example

Vinícius has a fondness for spicy food and always adds chili to his meals.

fondness for [food]

Listening to violin music at age six sparked Heather's fondness for classical music.

spark someone's fondness for [music]

Common collocations
  • have a fondness for
  • develop a fondness for
  • acquire a fondness for
  • fondness for [food]
  • fondness for [activity]
  • fondness for [music / art / books]
  • particular fondness
  • long-standing fondness
Synonyms
  • liking

    more general and less habitual than fondness; can describe a one-time positive reaction

  • taste

    focuses on personal preference or style rather than enjoyment itself

  • enthusiasm

    stronger and more energetic than fondness; suggests active excitement

  • relish

    implies keen enjoyment, often with a sense of anticipation or zest

Antonyms
  • dislike

    a general opposite — not enjoying or wanting something

  • indifference

    a lack of any feeling either way, rather than active dislike

Grammar Patterns

fondness for [activity/food/thing]

have a fondness for [something]

develop a fondness for [something]

Usage Note

The object is nearly always an activity, hobby, food, or type of thing — never a person. Unlike sense 1 (WARM AFFECTION), this sense describes a habitual or repeated enjoyment rather than a relationship-based emotional bond. Often interchangeable with 'liking' but suggests a stronger, more established preference.

Common Mistakes

I have a fondness for to swim in the ocean.
I have a fondness for swimming in the ocean.
'Fondness for' is followed by a noun or gerund, not a bare infinitive.
Reading is my fondness.
I have a fondness for reading.' OR 'Reading is my hobby.
'Fondness' is rarely used alone as a subject complement; it typically appears in the pattern 'have a fondness for [something]'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Fondness, affection, tenderness, attachment, and liking all describe positive feelings toward someone, but with different strengths and shades. Fondness suggests a gentle, warm feeling rooted in shared history or familiarity — it is less intense than affection, which implies deeper emotional investment. Tenderness focuses on a soft, caring quality, often shown in small gestures like a gentle touch or a kind word. Attachment implies a sense of closeness and emotional bond formed over time, sometimes with a hint of neediness. Liking is the broadest and weakest of the group; it can describe anything from casual preference to genuine warmth. In practice, you might have a 'liking' for a new colleague, feel 'fondness' for an old friend, have 'affection' for a partner, and show 'tenderness' toward a child.

affection ↗tenderness ↗attachment ↗liking ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • with fondness
  • out of fondness

Prepositions

Etymology

Middle EnglishOld English

Fondness comes from the Middle English word 'fond', which originally meant 'foolish' or 'silly'. In the 14th century, calling someone 'fond' meant their judgement was weak or naive. Over time the word shifted: by the 1500s it described the doting love a parent feels for a child — an affection so strong it seemed irrational — and eventually lost the 'foolish' meaning altogether, leaving only the sense of warm, tender liking. The noun 'fondness' was first recorded in the early 1600s to name this feeling.