Cherish

verb

3rd person singular: cherishes, present participle: cherishing, past/past participle: cherished

Frequency

Medium

CEFR Level

Neutral

Domain

Emotions

Definition

1. To love and care for someone or something deeply.
2. To hold something dear and protect it.
3. To keep a memory, hope, or feeling close to your heart.
4. To appreciate and value something greatly.

Context Alive

The grandmother carefully opened the old wooden box that had sat on her dresser for decades, revealing photographs, letters, and small tokens from her past. Each item in the box was something she had learned to cherish over the years, holding memories of loved ones who had passed, moments of joy that could never be repeated, and reminders of a life filled with experiences that had shaped who she had become.

Meanings

6 meanings

1 To love and care for someone deeply — VERY COMMON Common ▼

This is the warmest, most emotional meaning of cherish. When you cherish someone, you love them deeply and treat them as precious. Parents cherish their children. Couples promise to cherish each other in wedding vows. You might cherish a lifelong friend who has been with you through everything. It’s stronger than just “liking” someone — it carries a sense of tenderness, protection, and profound appreciation for having that person in your life.

Vivid Example

He promised to love and cherish her through whatever challenges life might bring, holding her hands at the altar with tears in his eyes as he spoke the words that would bind them together for the rest of their days.

2 To treasure and protect something valuable — VERY COMMON Common ▼

You can cherish objects too — things that hold special meaning and that you protect carefully. People cherish family heirlooms passed down through generations. Someone might cherish a gift from a person they’ve lost. You might cherish a childhood toy that reminds you of simpler times. The item itself might not be worth much money, but its emotional value is priceless, which is why you keep it safe and treat it with care.

Vivid Example

She would always cherish the worn leather journal her father had given her before he passed away, running her fingers over its faded cover every night and feeling somehow closer to him whenever she held it in her hands.

3 To hold memories close to your heart — VERY COMMON Common ▼

Memories can be cherished just like people and objects. When you cherish a memory, you keep it alive in your heart and return to it often with fondness. People cherish memories of happy childhoods, of loved ones no longer with them, of special moments that can never happen again. To cherish a memory means to refuse to let it fade, holding onto it as something precious that shaped who you are.

Vivid Example

Even decades later, she continued to cherish the memory of that summer afternoon when her grandfather taught her to fish by the quiet lake, recalling every detail — his patient voice, the warm sunshine, the excitement of her first catch — as if it had happened yesterday.

4 To value and appreciate greatly — COMMON Common ▼

In a slightly broader sense, cherish means to deeply value something abstract — freedom, independence, traditions, opportunities. Societies cherish democratic values. Individuals cherish their privacy. Families cherish cultural traditions passed down through generations. This usage is a bit more formal and often appears in speeches, writing about values, and discussions about what matters most to people or communities.

Vivid Example

The small island nation continued to cherish its independence fiercely, celebrating liberation day every year with parades and ceremonies that reminded younger generations of the sacrifices their ancestors had made to secure the freedom they now enjoyed.

5 To hold onto hopes, dreams, or beliefs — COMMON Common ▼

People cherish hopes and dreams too — those secret wishes and ambitions they hold close even when circumstances seem against them. An aspiring artist might cherish the dream of one day showing their work in a famous gallery. Someone might cherish the hope of reuniting with a lost family member. When you cherish a hope or dream, you nurture it, protect it from discouragement, and refuse to let it die even when others say it’s unrealistic.

Vivid Example

Despite years of rejection letters and financial struggles, she continued to cherish the hope that her novel would eventually find a publisher, writing every morning before work and believing that persistence would someday be rewarded with the breakthrough she desperately needed.

6 To appreciate time or experiences while they last — COMMON Common ▼

Sometimes cherish is used as advice or encouragement to fully appreciate something while you have it. “Cherish these moments” is something people say to new parents, reminding them that children grow up fast. You might be told to cherish your health, your youth, or your time with loved ones. This usage carries a bittersweet awareness that good things don’t last forever, so we should value them deeply while they’re present.

Vivid Example

Her older sister, whose children were now teenagers, advised her to cherish every exhausting, messy, chaotic moment of having toddlers in the house, explaining that those overwhelming years would become precious memories faster than she could possibly imagine.

Examples from the Street

“I cherish every moment I spend with my kids.”

I treasure and deeply value all the time I have with my children

“It’s a gift from my grandmother — I cherish it.”

It’s something my grandmother gave me and I treasure it deeply

“To have and to hold, to love and to cherish…”

Traditional wedding vow promising to treasure your partner

Common Patterns

cherish something → treasure and value something highly

cherish someone → love and care for someone deeply

cherish the memory/memories of → treasure and hold dear memories

cherish every moment/second → value each moment deeply

cherish the time/opportunity → deeply value time or chances

cherish a dream/hope/wish → hold onto a hope or dream dearly

cherish one’s freedom/independence → deeply value being free

cherish a belief/value → hold a belief dear to your heart

a cherished possession/friend → something or someone deeply valued

Collocations

4 collocations

cherish the memory

hold a past moment very dear

cherish every moment

value and enjoy each experience

cherish your loved ones

appreciate the people closest to you

deeply cherished

valued very highly and with great love

Example Sentences

12 examples

I cherish every moment I get to spend with my grandparents

I treasure all the time I have with my grandmother and grandfather because I know it’s precious.

This ring is my most cherished possession — my mother gave it to me

This piece of jewellery is the thing I treasure most — it was a gift from my mum.

I will always cherish the memories we made on that trip

I will forever treasure the experiences we shared during that holiday.

She cherishes her independence and doesn’t want to rely on anyone

She deeply values her freedom and prefers not to depend on other people.

He still cherishes the hope that his missing dog will come home

He still holds onto the wish that his lost pet will return one day.

True friends should be cherished — they’re hard to find

Genuine companions should be treasured — they don’t come along often.

I promise to love and cherish you for the rest of my life

I vow to adore and treasure you until the day I die.

These are cherished traditions that have been passed down for generations

These are treasured customs that families have handed down for many years.

She cherishes the time she has alone to read and think

She deeply values the moments she gets by herself to enjoy books and reflect.

We should cherish our health while we have it

We should treasure being well because it won’t last forever.

Learner Examples

★

I tell my students to cherish every opportunity to speak English — these moments of practice are more valuable than any textbook

I advise my learners to treasure each chance they get to use the language — these speaking opportunities are worth more than any course book.

★

As a teacher, I cherish the moments when a struggling student finally understands something — that’s why I do this job

As an instructor, I treasure the times when a learner who’s been having difficulty finally gets it — those experiences are the reason I chose this profession.

Phrasal Verbs & Idioms

0 items

Synonyms & Antonyms

7 items

Synonyms

treasure

valuing something deeply

value

considering very important

hold dear

keeping close to your heart

appreciate

being grateful for

Antonyms

neglect

not caring for

disregard

ignoring the value of

take for granted

not appreciating