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Glite Dictionary
❤️ Loved or valued 💸 Expensive 👩‍❤️‍👨 A loved person 😣 At great cost
dear

dear

50 7.0
Costing a lot of money
  • adjective
  • /dɪr/
  • UK
: caro
  • In land-abundant North America, labor was dear; often it was twice the price of labor in Russia.
  • the price is dear

It's a freaking dear hoodie basically to keep you warm.

Examples

  • The dress she chose for the wedding was rather dear, but she felt it was worth the price.

  • The merchandise which thou hast brought from Rome is all too dear for me.

    Antony and Cleopatra (1972)

  • Then, just as now, the price was dear, and the company used it as a test of loyalty.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Many people find that dining at high-end restaurants is quite dear, especially on weekends.

  • Buying a house in that neighborhood can be very dear due to its popularity and demand.

Synonyms

expensive
vsdear
∞ 1.0

That costs a lot of money

is more formal and British or old fashioned in tone
costly
vsdear
64 1.7

Expensive and costing a lot of money

is labeled more as formal or old fashioned especially in British use
pricey
vsdear
  • Informal
54 4.4

Costs a lot of money

is more formal and older and used especially in British contexts
high-priced
vsdear
31 3.5

Costing a lot of money

is used more in a formal or old British register than neutral
pricy
vsdear
  • US
9 4.0

Costing a lot of money

is considered more formal and old fashioned especially in British usage
spendy
vsdear
  • UK
1 8.2

Costing a lot of money

is expressed more in formal or older British speech than ordinary terms

Antonyms

cheap
∞ 1.0

Costing little money compared with similar things

inexpensive
86 1.0

Not costing much

Idioms

for dear life
  • Informal
16 5.9

Very quickly because you are afraid of danger

Compounds

Dear Leader
  • Formal
2 9.7

A respectful or sarcastic name for a powerful ruler who controls a country

How Expensive

exorbitant
25 7.9
expensive
∞ 1.0
dear
  • UK
50 7.0
affordable
307 2.1
cheap
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

dear positive
dearer comparative
dearest superlative

Etymology

Dear meaning 'expensive' also comes from Old English dēore 'precious', because things that are precious often cost a lot. So when something is dear it is high in price.