dearer
dearer — adjective
1. loved more deeply or valued more highly than something else
loved more deeply or valued more highly than something else
After the flood, the family photos became dearer to Trang than any jewelry.
be dearer to + person
Since Leo moved abroad, Sunday calls have grown dearer to his mother.
grow dearer to + person
The old recipe book felt dearer to Elise after her grandmother died.
Baraka keeps the cracked watch because it is dearer than a new one.
- replaceable
not felt to have special personal value
- unimportant
not treated as emotionally significant
文法句型
be dearer to + person
dearer than + noun
用法筆記
This sense stresses personal value or emotional importance. Distinguish it from sense 2, which focuses more on closeness in a relationship.
常見錯誤
2. connected by warmer affection, friendship, or family feeling
connected by warmer affection, friendship, or family feeling
Though they rarely met, Cyrus remained a dearer friend than any online contact.
dearer friend than + noun
Eri grew dearer to her aunt during the months they lived together.
grow dearer to + relative
Years of shared trouble made the two sisters even dearer to each other.
The village felt dearer to Otis once neighbors began treating him like family.
- closer
the most general word for a stronger personal connection
- more intimate
suggests a more private or deeply shared bond
- fonder
stresses warm liking more than closeness
文法句型
be dearer to + person
dearer friend than + noun
用法筆記
Use this for the warmth of the relationship itself. Sense 1 is broader and can apply to objects, memories, or ideals as well as people.
3. priced above similar things or above an earlier price
priced above similar things or above an earlier price
Train tickets are dearer on Friday evenings than on Tuesday mornings.
be dearer than + time comparison
Fresh berries stay dearer in winter because local farms grow less.
dearer in + season
This corner cafe is dearer than the shop across the station road.
Aylin found city rent far dearer after the new subway line opened.
- more expensive
the clearest neutral equivalent
- costlier
slightly more formal than dearer
- pricier
more informal and conversational
- cheaper
costing less money
- more affordable
emphasizes being easier to pay for
文法句型
be dearer than + noun
dearer in + season or place
用法筆記
Commoner in British English than in American English. It is often used for tickets, rent, food, and other everyday costs.
常見錯誤
4. showing stronger honest feeling, especially in words of thanks or concern
showing stronger honest feeling, especially in words of thanks or concern
Christopher offered a dearer thanks after the nurse stayed all night.
dearer + abstract noun
Shanti's letter carried a dearer concern for the children than polite duty alone.
The teacher's farewell sounded dearer once the class understood she was leaving.
- more heartfelt
directly emphasizes sincere feeling
- warmer
less formal and more conversational
- more earnest
stresses seriousness of feeling
- cooler
showing less warmth or personal feeling
- perfunctory
done with little real feeling
文法句型
dearer thanks
dearer concern
用法筆記
This use is formal and often literary. It usually appears with abstract nouns such as thanks, concern, wish, or regard.
5. showing a finer moral spirit or a more generous character
showing a finer moral spirit or a more generous character
Choosing mercy over revenge was the dearer action in the final scene.
the dearer choice or action
To share the prize money with the team seemed the dearer choice.
Among the brothers, Otis took the dearer path and admitted the lie.
- worthier
stresses moral merit or deservingness
- more honorable
focuses on upright behavior
- higher-minded
suggests generous ideals and motives
文法句型
the dearer choice
take the dearer path
用法筆記
This sense is mainly literary and judges character rather than price or affection. It often appears when one option is morally better than another.
6. bringing greater pain, grief, or loss than another result
bringing greater pain, grief, or loss than another result
Losing both jobs at once proved dearer than the family had feared.
prove dearer than + expectation
The storm's second wave dealt a dearer blow to the fishing town.
a dearer blow
For Caio, silence after the argument was dearer than the shouted words.
- harder
the broad everyday word for being more difficult to bear
- more grievous
formal and often used for serious loss or injury
- more painful
directly names the stronger suffering
文法句型
prove dearer than + clause
a dearer blow
用法筆記
This literary sense points to emotional or practical damage. It is used for losses, blows, costs, and outcomes that hurt more deeply.
dearer — adverb
1. with stronger affection or greater personal importance
with stronger affection or greater personal importance
After the accident, the children held their father dearer than ever.
hold + noun + dearer than ever
Living abroad made Trang prize quiet family dinners dearer than weekend shopping.
prize + noun + dearer than
The coach said the team now guarded its trust dearer than trophies.
- more dearly
the clearer modern equivalent in many contexts
- more fondly
works when the feeling is gentle and affectionate
- more lightly
with less seriousness or value
- less fondly
with weaker affection
文法句型
hold + noun + dearer than
prize + noun + dearer than
用法筆記
This use appears after verbs of valuing such as hold, prize, and guard. It is literary or elevated rather than everyday conversational English.
2. with greater loss, expense, or financial penalty
with greater loss, expense, or financial penalty
Families who book late may travel dearer during the holiday week.
travel dearer during + period
Small shops often borrow dearer after interest rates rise quickly.
borrow dearer after + change
If the bridge closes, farmers must sell dearer to cover extra fuel.
- more expensively
the clearest modern neutral choice
- at greater cost
more formal and often used in explanation
- more cheaply
at a lower price
- at lower cost
formal opposite in business or planning contexts
文法句型
buy dearer
borrow dearer
sell dearer
用法筆記
This sense is mostly found in British or older usage, especially after verbs such as buy, sell, pay, and borrow. It focuses on a higher financial cost.
dearer — noun
1. a person especially loved, often named in old-fashioned address
a person especially loved, often named in old-fashioned address
Please sit by the fire, my dearer, until the rain stops.
my dearer as direct address
The poet ends the song by naming the dead sailor his dearer.
his dearer as a cherished person
In her diary, Elise calls her daughter my dearer on every birthday.
- sweetheart
more modern and usually romantic
- beloved
formal and often used in writing or ceremony
- darling
common as a warm form of address
- stranger
someone with no personal closeness
文法句型
my dearer
his dearer
用法筆記
This noun is old-fashioned and appears mainly in literary speech or intimate writing. It is closer to a tender form of address than to an ordinary label.
2. a sweet, harmless person who is easy to feel warmth toward
a sweet, harmless person who is easy to feel warmth toward
Everyone in the building says the new baby is a little dearer.
little dearer for a lovable child
That shy intern turned out a dearer once he started helping customers.
turn out a dearer
Grandma laughed and called the sleepy toddler a dearer anyway.
文法句型
a dearer
little dearer
用法筆記
This affectionate noun is mostly conversational and often used about children or very gentle people. It suggests kindness and softness rather than romance.