Words / B2

DEERL-ee/ˈdɪəli/

Dearly means very much, or at a great cost: love dearly; pay dearly. Expensive is about price as an adjective; costly is a close twin for the cost sense. The council paid dearly for the delay; still quote the £ figure. Mix-up: dearly vs nearly; dear as the adjective (expensive or loved); do not write dearly for a cheap, reversible cost with no evidence.

Meaning

Very much; also at a great cost (pay dearly).

Examples

• “The council paid dearly for the delay; still quote the £ figure, the inquiry said.”
• “She loved the place dearly in the letter, which is the affection sense — still name the writer.”

Good to know

love / miss dearly; pay dearly for. Close (cost): costly. Adjective: dear. Trap: nearly. History, citizenship, and literature. Very much, or at great cost — quote the £ or name the person.

Near in meaning

greatly, costly, fondly

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