dearly

adverb

dear·​ly ˈdir-lē How to pronounce dearly (audio)
1
: with affection : fondly
2
: heartily, earnestly
prayed so dearly for peace
3
: at a high rate or price
paid dearly for the error

Examples of dearly in a Sentence

I would dearly love to see them again. He dearly wanted to believe that it was true.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But here’s the catch: these agents, while powerful, come with risks that could cost your business dearly if left unchecked. Rich Vibert, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024 Although impressive, engineers would dearly love to have that kind of accuracy over much longer distances. The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024 Still, his mistake cost his reputation dearly; when Professor Trevor-Roper died in 2003, most of his obituaries took note of it in the first paragraph. Clay Risen, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2024 Our steelmakers thrived, but companies that make things out of steel (like Ford, GM and Caterpillar) suffered dearly. David Pogue, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dearly 

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dearly was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near dearly

Cite this Entry

“Dearly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dearly. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dearly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!