Love — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈləv/

Meaning & Definition of Love

Love (noun)

  1. strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties
  2. attraction based on sexual desire, affection and tenderness felt by lovers —often used before another noun
  3. affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests

Love (verb)

  1. to feel great affection for, to hold dear, cherish
  2. to feel a lover's passion, devotion, or tenderness for
  3. caress

Love (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to feel passion, devotion, or tenderness for

    "a husband who loves his wife more than anything"

    similar: adore, cherish, worship, carry a torch (for), fall for, lose one's heart (to)
    related: adulate, canonize, deify, idealize, idolize, revere, reverence, venerate, delight (in), dote (on)
    opposite: abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe
    near: antagonize, displease, disapprove (of), disfavor, dislike, disgust, nauseate, repel, repulse, revolt, sicken, turn off

  2. to hold dear

    "patriots who loved their country well enough to die for it"

    similar: appreciate, cherish, prize, treasure, value, set store by
    related: delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, groove (on), like, relish, revel (in), admire, apprize, esteem, regard, respect, revere, reverence, venerate, enshrine, memorialize, adore, caress, dote (on), idolize, worship
    opposite: disvalue
    near: undervalue, abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe, disdain, high-hat, scorn, scout, slight, sniff (at), snub, bad-mouth, belittle, cry down, decry, deprecate, depreciate, disparage, kiss off, minimize, put down, write off, abandon, forget, neglect

  3. to take pleasure in

    "I love playing Frisbee in the summer rain"

    similar: adore, delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, get off (on), groove (on), like, rejoice (in), relish, revel (in), savor, be partial to, get a kick out of, go for, have a soft spot for, take to
    related: admire, appreciate, cherish, revere, venerate, worship, prize, treasure, value, devour, drink (in), eat (up), feast (on), dote (on), idolize, cotton (to), favor, prefer, indulge (in), luxuriate (in), wallow (in)
    near: abhor, abominate, detest, dislike, hate, loathe, condemn, despise, scorn

  4. to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner

    "the baby responded to my caresses and kisses by loving me right back"

    similar: caress, fondle, gentle, pat, pet, stroke
    related: bill, canoodle, cuddle, neck, nestle, nose, nuzzle, snuggle, spoon, feel up, paw, cradle, embrace, enfold, hug, bounce, dandle, knead, massage, baby, coddle, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil

Love (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a feeling of strong or constant regard for and dedication to someone

    "her love for her children was truly selfless"

    similar: affection, attachment, devotedness, devotion, fondness, passion
    related: appetite, fancy, favor, like, liking, partiality, preference, relish, taste, craving, crush, desire, infatuation, longing, lust, yearning, ardor, eagerness, enthusiasm, fervor, zeal, appreciation, esteem, estimation, regard, respect, adoration, adulation, deification, idolatry, idolization, worship, allegiance, faithfulness, fealty, fidelity, loyalty, steadfastness
    opposite: abomination, hate, hatred, loathing, rancor
    near: allergy, animosity, antagonism, antipathy, aversion, disfavor, dislike, enmity, hostility, abhorrence, disgust, repugnance, repulsion, revulsion, misanthropy

  2. a person with whom one is in love

    "she is the love of my life"

    similar: beloved, darling, dear, flame, hon, honey, squeeze (slang), sweet, sweetheart, sweetie, sweetie pie, truelove
    related: beau, boy, boyfriend, fellow, man, swain, gal, girl, girlfriend, inamorata, ladylove, lass, mistress, tootsie, amour, lover, paramour, doll, duck(s) (chiefly British), pet, date, escort, steady, admirer, gallant, suitor, wooer, groom, husband, bride, wife, significant other, fiancé, intended, crush, heartthrob

  3. positive regard for something

    "a love of chocolate, which I will pay anything to indulge"

    similar: appetite, fancy, favor, fondness, like, liking, love affair, partiality, preference, relish, shine, taste, use
    related: craving, desire, hankering, longing, thirst, yen, enthusiasm, gusto, interest, passion, bias, prejudice, bent, inclination, leaning, propensity, tendency, tooth, palate, weakness
    opposite: aversion, disfavor, disgust, dislike, distaste, hatred, loathing, mislike
    near: apathy, disinclination, indifference, unconcern

  4. a brief romantic relationship

    "he refused to discuss past loves"

    similar: affair, amour, fling, love affair, romance
    related: intrigue, liaison, dalliance, hanky-panky, attachment, infatuation, entanglement, flirtation, idyll, passion, calf-love, puppy love

Related Entry: Love affair (noun)

Love affair is a different word from Love. The synonyms below are for love affair, not for love.

  1. a brief romantic relationship

    "the tabloids feel obliged to keep us informed of the love affairs of celebrities, whether we care to know or not"

    similar: affair, amour, fling, love, romance
    related: intrigue, liaison, dalliance, hanky-panky, attachment, infatuation, entanglement, flirtation, idyll, passion, calf-love, puppy love

  2. positive regard for something

    "a group of young men united by their love affair with the muscle car"

    similar: appetite, fancy, favor, fondness, like, liking, love, partiality, preference, relish, shine, taste, use
    related: craving, desire, hankering, longing, thirst, yen, enthusiasm, gusto, interest, passion, bias, prejudice, bent, inclination, leaning, propensity, tendency, tooth, palate, weakness
    opposite: aversion, disfavor, disgust, dislike, distaste, hatred, loathing, mislike
    near: apathy, disinclination, indifference, unconcern

Related Entry: Love child (noun)

Love child is a different word from Love. The synonyms below are for love child, not for love.

  1. an illegitimate child

    "a woman who claimed to be the love child of two of Hollywood's most beloved stars during its golden age"

    similar: by-blow (dated), whoreson (archaic)

Related Entry: Love seat (noun)

Love seat is a different word from Love. The synonyms below are for love seat, not for love.

  1. as in lounger, recamier

    similar: lounger, recamier, tête-à-tête, chesterfield, couch, davenport, divan, lounge, settee, sofa, squab, daybed, sofa bed, studio couch, banquette, bench, ottoman

Related Entry: Love seats (noun)

Love seats is a different word from Love. The synonyms below are for love seats, not for love.

  1. as in loungers, recamiers

    similar: loungers, recamiers, tête-à-têtes, chesterfields, couches, davenports, divans, lounges, settees, sofas, squabs, daybeds, sofa beds, studio couches, banquettes, benches, ottomans

Related Entry: Love affairs (noun)

Love affairs is a different word from Love. The synonyms below are for love affairs, not for love.

  1. a brief romantic relationship

    "the tabloids feel obliged to keep us informed of the love affairs of celebrities, whether we care to know or not"

    similar: affairs, amours, flings, loves, romances
    related: intrigues, liaisons, dalliances, hanky-pankies, attachments, infatuations, entanglements, flirtations, idylls, passions, calf-loves, puppy loves

  2. positive regard for something

    "a group of young men united by their love affair with the muscle car"

    similar: appetites, fancies, favors, likes, likings, loves, partialities, preferences, relishes, shines, tastes, uses
    related: cravings, desires, longings, thirsts, yens, enthusiasms, gustoes, interests, passions, biases, prejudices, bents, inclinations, leanings, propensities, tendencies, teeth, palates, weaknesses
    opposite: aversions, disfavors, disgusts, dislikes, distastes, hatreds, loathings, mislikes
    near: apathies, disinclinations, indifferences

Related Entry: Self-love (noun)

Self-love is a different word from Love. The synonyms below are for self-love, not for love.

  1. an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements

    "nurtured a self-love that was far greater than any affection she ever felt for another person"

    similar: amour propre, bighead, complacence, complacency, conceit, conceitedness, ego, egotism, pomposity, pompousness, pride, pridefulness, self-admiration, self-assumption, self-conceit, self-congratulation, self-esteem, self-glory, self-importance, self-opinion, self-satisfaction, smugness, swelled head, swellheadedness, vaingloriousness, vainglory, vainness, vanity
    related: assurance, confidence, self-assurance, self-confidence, self-righteousness, arrogance, disdainfulness, haughtiness, imperiousness, lordliness, self-assertion, snobbishness, superciliousness, superiority, hubris, overconfidence, presumption, pretense, pretension, pretentiousness, egoism, self-centeredness, selfishness, self-pride, self-respect
    opposite: humbleness, humility, modesty
    near: diffidence, self-doubt, self-disgust, self-hate, self-loathing, altruism, unselfishness, bashfulness, demureness, shyness, timidity, timidness, passiveness, passivity

Related Entry: Making love (phrase)

Making love is a different word from Love. The synonyms below are for making love, not for love.

  1. sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis

    "They decided to delay making love until they were married."

    similar: coition, coitus, commerce, congress, copulating, copulation, coupling, intercourse, lovemaking, mating, relations, sex, sex act, sexual intercourse, sexual relations, getting it on
    related: fornication, safe sex, carnality, sexuality, breeding, insemination, dalliance, hanky-panky, whoopee

Related Entry: Calf-love (noun)

Calf-love is a different word from Love. The synonyms below are for calf-love, not for love.

  1. as in puppy love

    similar: puppy love, idyll, passion, entanglement, flirtation, attachment, infatuation, dalliance, hanky-panky, intrigue, liaison, affair, amour, fling, love, love affair, romance

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Love

The most common words with a similar meaning to Love:

Slang: squeeze
adore, cherish, worship, appreciate, prize, treasure, value, delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, get off (on), groove (on), like, rejoice (in), relish, revel (in), savor, caress, fondle, gentle, pat, pet, stroke, carry a torch (for), fall for, lose one's heart (to), set store by, be partial to, get a kick out of, go for, have a soft spot for, take to, affection, attachment, devotedness, devotion, fondness, passion, beloved

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Love

Words with the opposite meaning of Love:

abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe, disvalue, abomination, hatred, loathing, rancor, aversion, disfavor, disgust, dislike, distaste, mislike

Related Words for Love

adulate, canonize, deify, idealize, idolize, revere, reverence, venerate, dote (on), admire, apprize, esteem, regard, respect, enshrine, memorialize, devour, drink (in), eat (up), feast (on), cotton (to), prefer, indulge (in), luxuriate (in), wallow (in), bill, canoodle, cuddle, neck, nestle

Near Antonyms of Love

antagonize, displease, disapprove (of), nauseate, repel, repulse, revolt, sicken, turn off, undervalue, disdain, high-hat, scorn, scout, slight, sniff (at), snub, bad-mouth, belittle, cry down, decry, deprecate, depreciate, disparage, kiss off, minimize, put down, write off, abandon, forget

Word Forms of Love

Inflections: loved, loving

Origin & Etymology of Love

Middle English, from Old English lufu; akin to Old High German luba love, Old English lēof dear, Latin lubēre, libēre to please

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Love

Words & Phrases Containing Love

love affair, love apple, love beads, love child, love feast, love grass, love handles, love-in

Frequently Asked Questions about Love

What does "Love" mean?

"Love" means strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties. It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Love"?

Other words for "Love" include adore, cherish, worship, appreciate, prize, treasure, value and delight (in). The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Love" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Love"?

There are 196 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Love". Common alternatives include adore, cherish, worship, appreciate, prize, treasure, value, delight (in), dig and enjoy.

What is the opposite of "Love"?

Antonyms of "Love" include abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe and disvalue. Near antonyms include antagonize, displease, disapprove (of) and nauseate.

How do you use "Love" in a sentence?

Examples of "Love" in a sentence: "a husband who loves his wife more than anything"; "patriots who loved their country well enough to die for it"; "I love playing Frisbee in the summer rain".

Is "Love" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Love" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Love" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Love" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Love"?

"Love" is pronounced /ˈləv/.