Cherish
Brass school bells, decade-old letters, and one miraculous cousin trip all live in the same drawer of the heart this verb describes.
Learn This WordMeaning
To hold something dear.
Memory trick
CHERISH holds CHER (dear, like cherie): what is dear gets held.
Examples
They cherish old letters.
The warden cherishes the brass bell from the school’s first building.
We cherish the one winter trip when the whole cousin gang finally agreed on a plan.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Old French cherir "to hold dear," from cher "dear." Cherishing is keeping something close because it costs you love.
Usage Notes
Warm and deliberate: people cherish memories, letters, traditions. It implies active keeping, not passive liking.
Real-life contexts
Use warmly: "I cherish our chai breaks during placements."
Use in speeches: "We cherish the founders’ vision."
Use in letters: "I will always cherish this mentorship."
Common Mistakes
Cherish takes people, memories, and ideals as objects; do not use it for casual likes ("cherish this pizza" reads as a joke). Past tense cherished, never cherish’d.
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Start LearningQuick Facts
Part of Speech
verb
Difficulty
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