endearing

1 of 2

adjective

en·​dear·​ing in-ˈdir-iŋ 

en-

: arousing feelings of affection or admiration

an endearing habit/quality

… the character he plays … is one of the most endearing on television …

—Frank Owen

endearingly

in-ˈdir-iŋ-lē 

en-

adverb

an endearingly warmhearted person

endearing

2 of 2

present participle of endear

Synonyms of endearing

Adjective

• adorable
• dear
• sweet

Examples of endearing in a Sentence

Adjective

you have to wonder about people who don't find kittens and puppies endearing

his impish sense of humor is one of his more endearing traits

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

To show what such pairings can achieve, two WSA talks will spotlight some of contemporary European cinema’s most enduring and endearing director-composer duos. — Ben Croll, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026

That’s not about how the song would have made for a poorer fit in the country landscape of 2005 or 2015 — in truth, the song’s casual timelessness is one of its most endearing and immediately apparent qualities. — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2026

One of the most endearing moments in our afternoon happens when his teenage son, Callum, calls looking for something around the house. — Rachel Brodsky, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Elizabeth Strout illustrates a kind man with an endearing earnestness about him who struggles with the fact that the world is not so simple anymore. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1766, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for endearing

• adhering
• appearing
• careering
• cohering
• inhering
• prehearing
• rehearing
• veneering
• bioengineering
• cheering
• clearing
• earing