endear

E1N1D2E1A1R1
UK/ɪnˈdɪə(ɹ)/UK/ɛnˈdɪə(ɹ)/US/ɪnˈdɪɚ/US/ɛnˈdɪɚ/

verb

To make (something) more precious or valuable.

“By giving candy to the children the man tried to endear himself to them.”

Similar
bedear
OriginEnglish dear ← Middle English en- ← Old French en- →
UncommonFirst used 16th–17th c.Scrabble 7
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Meanings

verbendear (third-person singular simple present endears, present participle endearing, simple past and past participle endeared)

present singular third person endears · participle present endearing · participle past endeared · past endeared · alternative indear

  1. obsoleteTo make (something) more precious or valuable.First known use 16th–17th c.
  2. obsoleteTo make (something) more expensive; to increase the cost of.First known use 17th–19th c.
  3. obsoleteTo stress (something) as important; to exaggerate.First known use 17th c.

    Salvianus Massiliensis[…]saith, that amongst French-men, to lie and forsweare is no vice but a manner of speach. He that would endeare [translating encherir] this Testimonie, might say, it is now rather deemed a vertue among them.

    1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 18, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC
  4. To make (someone) dear or precious.First known use 18th c.

    By giving candy to the children the man tried to endear himself to them.

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
bedear
Also see
addressappreciatebeaumake lovesparksuitorwoo

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
  2. Proto-Italic*en
  3. Proto-Italic*en-
  4. Latinin-
  5. Old Frenchen-
  6. Middle Englishen-
  7. Englishen-
  8. Englishdear
  9. Englishendear

From en- + dear.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech získat oblibu, získat přízeň
  • získat oblibuto cause to become liked
  • získat přízeňto cause to become liked
Finnish miellyttää, saada pitämään
  • miellyttääto cause to become liked
  • saada pitämäänto cause to become liked
Russian располагать, расположить
  • располагать (raspolagatʹ)to cause to become liked
  • расположить (raspoložitʹ)to cause to become liked

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with endear

hereyearclearnearcareerheargearappearwearfearvolunteermirrorpremierdearbeerseverepeerearpioneerPierredeermeretiersheer
All rhymes →

Anagrams

earnedAndreeDearnedeanerArdene
Cite this entry
APA

endear. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/endear

MLA

“endear.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/endear. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “endear,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/endear.

Source: endear on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.