Definition

1. Noun:
   • The quality of being greatly loved or cherished: "Dearness" refers to the state of being held in deep affection or high esteem.
   • The quality of having a high price or value: "Dearness" also refers to the state of being expensive or costly.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Affection):

  • The dearness of her friendship was a great comfort to him. (The cherished quality of her friendship was a great comfort.)
  • He spoke of his grandmother with great dearness. (He spoke of his grandmother with a tone of deep affection.)

• Noun (Cost):

  • The dearness of housing in the city is a major concern. (The high cost of housing in the city is a major concern.)
  • The dearness of basic necessities strained the family budget. (The expensiveness of basic necessities strained the budget.)

Advanced Usage

• "Dearness allowance": An additional payment made to compensate for high living costs.
  • The company provides a dearness allowance to employees in metropolitan areas.

Variants and Related Words

• Dear (adj): Beloved or expensive.

  • She is a dear friend. (Beloved)
  • Fruit is very dear this season. (Expensive)

• Dearly (adv): Very much; at a high cost.

  • He loved her dearly. (Very much)
  • Victory was dearly won. (At a high cost)

Synonyms

• Affection: A gentle feeling of fondness or liking.
• Costliness: The quality of being expensive.
• Expensiveness: The state of costing a lot of money.

Antonyms

• Cheapness: The quality of being low in price.
• Dislike: A feeling of distaste or hostility.

Noun

1. the quality possessed by something with a great price or value