Love is a verb meaning to feel deep affection or enjoy something greatly.
Use adore for strong affection, be in love with for romance, relish for enjoyment, cherish for treasured things, and would be delighted to for invitations.
Top antonyms: hate, loathe, despise.
This guide to synonyms for love helps you choose the right word, not just scan a long list.
Meaning of Love
Part of speech: verb (it’s also a very common noun)
Pronunciation (US): LUV /lʌv/
Definition: to feel deep affection for someone, or to enjoy something very much. In an invitation, “I’d love to” means “I’d be glad to.”
Word forms: love, loves, loved, loving. The noun is love, and a person who loves is a lover. Related adjectives are loving, loved, and beloved. The adverb is lovingly.
Love in a sentence:
- She loves her grandmother dearly.
- I love how this song builds.
This page covers five verb senses: (1) deep affection, (2) romantic feeling, (3) enjoying something greatly, (4) valuing something dear, and (5) “would love to.” Sense 1 is what most readers mean, so it gets the most depth.
Synonyms for Love
Synonyms aren’t swappable parts. Each word has its own connotation, the feeling it adds beyond its dictionary meaning. Register means how formal or casual a word sounds. Collocations are words that often go together, like “love dearly.”
Feel deep affection for a person
Think of family, close friends, and pets.
| Word | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| adore (verb, neutral) | Warmer and stronger than love. It sounds odd for a neighbor you barely know. | She adores her little brother. |
| dote on (verb phrase, neutral) | Shows love by spoiling or fussing over someone. It sounds odd for a coworker. | Grandparents often dote on their first grandchild. |
| be devoted to (verb phrase, neutral-formal) | Stresses loyalty over time, not just feeling. | He’s devoted to his wife and kids. |
| be fond of (verb phrase, neutral) | Milder and calmer. Between spouses, it can sound cool or distant. | I’m fond of my cousin, though we rarely talk. |
| care for (verb phrase, neutral) | Stresses tenderness and concern. It can also mean “look after,” so context matters. | He still cares for her, even after the breakup. |
| worship (verb, neutral) | Extreme devotion. It can sound over the top. | He worships his daughter. |
Intensity ladder. This ladder measures one thing: how strong the affection is. The order is rough, because dictionaries don’t rank these words.
be fond of → love → adore → worship
I left off care for, dote on, and be devoted to. They describe concern, behavior, and loyalty, not strength. I also left off cherish, treasure, and prize, which are about valuing something. The romance phrases differ in kind, not degree, so I didn’t rank them either.
Feel romantic love
These words differ in kind, so I’m grouping them, not ranking them.
| Word | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| be in love with (verb phrase, neutral) | The plain, standard phrase for romantic love. | Mia is in love with her best friend. |
| be smitten with (verb phrase, neutral-informal) | Newly and suddenly charmed. | Dev was smitten with her after one coffee date. |
| be infatuated with (verb phrase, neutral-formal) | Intense but often short-lived. It can sound critical. | At sixteen, he was infatuated with his drama teacher. |
| be besotted with (verb phrase, neutral) | So in love that you act a little silly. It’s more common in British English. | She’s besotted with her new boyfriend. |
| have a crush on (verb phrase, informal) | Usually secret and often youthful. | I had a crush on my neighbor in eighth grade. |
Enjoy something very much
Think of food, music, activities, and challenges. Adore also works here: “I adore this song.”
| Word | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| relish (verb, neutral) | Enjoy with real appetite. It sounds odd with a person as the object. | She relishes a good debate. |
| savor (verb, neutral; US spelling) | Enjoy slowly and fully. | He savored every bite of the cake. |
| delight in (verb phrase, neutral-formal) | Take joy in a pleasure. | The kids delight in building forts. |
| revel in (verb phrase, neutral-formal) | Enjoy openly, often attention or success. | He reveled in the applause. |
| be crazy about (verb phrase, informal) | Enthusiastic and casual. It fits things or people. | I’m crazy about her new album. |
| be wild about (verb phrase, informal) | Similar to crazy about. It often appears in negatives, as in “not wild about.” | They’re wild about street tacos. |
Value and hold dear
Think of memories, gifts, traditions, and values.
| Word | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| cherish (verb, neutral-formal) | Hold dear and protect. It sounds odd for a pizza or a hobby. | I cherish those summer memories. |
| treasure (verb, neutral) | Value highly, often something you keep safe. | She treasures her grandmother’s ring. |
| prize (verb, neutral-formal) | Value for a quality or possession. | Teachers prize curiosity in students. |
| hold dear (verb phrase, formal-literary) | Value deeply. It fits beliefs and relationships. | Honesty is a value we hold dear. |
Would love to
| Word | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| would like to (neutral) | Milder and plain. | I’d like to come to your party. |
| would be happy to (neutral) | Friendly, often used when offering help. | I’d be happy to help you move. |
| would be glad to (neutral) | Slightly warmer and a bit old-fashioned. | We’d be glad to host you. |
| would be delighted to (formal) | Stronger and more formal. | We’d be delighted to attend the ceremony. |
Specialist sense
In tennis, love means zero, but that’s a noun. It has no verb synonym, so I’m not forcing one.
Related, not true synonyms: like and enjoy (milder than love), admire and respect (esteem without affection), lust after (physical desire), long for and yearn for (wanting, not feeling).
Which one should I choose?
- Ask what you mean: affection, romance, enjoyment, valuing, or accepting an invitation?
- Jump to that sense and read the “How it differs” column.
- Check the register. Be crazy about suits friends, and be devoted to suits formal writing.
- Check the strength. If love feels too weak, climb the ladder.
Antonyms for Love
The opposite of love depends on the sense. Each antonym below is paired with the word it contrasts with.
| Antonym | Opposite of | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| hate (verb) | love (affection or enjoyment) | The direct opposite. | I hate waiting in line. |
| loathe (verb, strong) | adore | Intense dislike mixed with disgust. | She loathes cold mornings. |
| despise (verb, formal) | adore, be fond of (people) | Looks down on someone with contempt. | He despises liars. |
| detest (verb, formal) | relish, be crazy about | Strong dislike of a thing or act. | I detest broccoli. |
| dislike (verb, neutral) | be fond of | Milder, so not a full opposite. | I dislike loud restaurants. |
| can’t stand (verb phrase, informal) | be crazy about | Casual and blunt. | I can’t stand cold coffee. |
| neglect (verb, neutral) | care for, cherish | Fails to look after something or someone. | Don’t neglect the people you love. |
Near-misses. Indifferent sits in the middle, so it isn’t an opposite. Dislike has a dis- prefix, but it’s much milder than love. Fall out of love describes a change, not an opposite feeling. Decline answers an invitation, so it doesn’t oppose “I’d love to.” That sense has no clean antonym.
Love vs. Similar Words
| Pair | Key difference | Example |
|---|---|---|
| love vs. adore | Adore is warmer and stronger. Love works almost everywhere. | I love my aunt; I adore my baby niece. |
| love vs. like | Like is milder. Love adds depth or strong enthusiasm. | I like tea; I love my family. |
| love vs. cherish | Cherish stresses protecting and valuing. | I love old photos; I cherish the one of my grandfather. |
| love to vs. love -ing | Both are standard. | I love to cook. / I love cooking. |
Preposition patterns:
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| in love with | romantic love | She fell in love with the city. |
| fond of | mild affection | He’s fond of his old truck. |
| devoted to | loyal to | They’re devoted to each other. |
| dote on | spoil with love | She dotes on her puppy. |
| crazy about | very enthusiastic about | I’m crazy about hiking. |
Using Love and Its Synonyms in Context
Here’s how alternatives to love change with the setting.
- Formal: Residents cherish the park and want it protected.
- Casual: I’m crazy about that new pizza place.
- Academic: The narrator is devoted to her sister, even when the family disapproves.
- Invitation: We’d be delighted to join you.
This word has no real technical verb sense, so I skipped that example type.
Collocations: love dearly, love deeply, love unconditionally, love every minute of it. “Love deeply” is more natural than “love strongly.”
Common Mistakes
Common mistakes box
- “In love of.” Say “in love with” someone.
- “I’m loving it.” Traditional grammar treats love as a state, not an action in progress. Informal speech and ads use “I’m loving it,” and usage guides differ. In exams and formal writing, “I love it” is the safer choice.
- Mixing up lovely and loving. Lovely means beautiful or delightful. Loving means full of love.
- “Adore to swim.” It’s less natural. Say “I adore swimming.”
- Using love for everything. If you love pizza and your mom, try relish or adore to show the difference.
Related Words, Idioms, and Word Origin
Related words: loving, lovable, lover, beloved, lovingly.
Idioms:
- Fall head over heels means to fall in love quickly and completely.
- Love at first sight means instant attraction.
- Love someone to pieces (informal) means to love someone very much.
Etymology (word origin): dictionaries trace love back to Old English.
Did you know? In tennis, “love” means zero. A popular story links it to the French word for egg, because an egg looks like a zero. Dictionaries treat the true origin as uncertain.
FAQs
What are the best synonyms for love?
It depends on the sense. Use adore for strong affection, cherish for something you treasure, relish for enjoyment, and be in love with for romance.
What is another word for love?
Adore works for most people you care about. For things you enjoy, use relish or be crazy about.
What is a stronger word than love?
Adore is stronger. Worship is stronger still, but it can sound over the top.
What is the opposite of love?
Hate is the direct opposite. For stronger feelings, use loathe or despise. For a milder one, use dislike.
What are words similar to love for a friend?
Try be fond of, care for, or be devoted to. Adore works for a very close friend.
What is a more formal word for love?
Use cherish, be devoted to, or hold dear.
Is love a verb or a noun?
Both. This page covers the verb.
Quick Quiz
- Which phrase best fits: “Grandparents often ___ their grandchildren, spoiling them with treats”?
a) dote on b) loathe c) relish d) neglect - Which word best replaces love in “She loves a good challenge”?
a) relish b) dote on c) cherish d) despise - Which word is the opposite of adore?
a) loathe b) cherish c) treasure d) prize - Which sentence is correct?
a) She is in love of him. b) She is in love with him. c) She is in love at him. d) She is in love on him. - Which word sits highest on the affection ladder?
a) be fond of b) love c) adore d) worship
Mini-challenge: Rewrite with a stronger synonym: “I really love my new puppy.”
Answers: 1) a. 2) a. 3) a. 4) b. 5) d. Mini-challenge: “I adore my new puppy.”
Conclusion
Choose by sense first, then by strength. Use adore for deep affection, relish for enjoyment, and cherish for treasured things.
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