affectionate
adjective
af·fec·tion·ate
ə-ˈfek-sh(ə-)nət 
1
2
: motivated by affection : tender
affectionate care
affectionately
adverb
Examples of affectionate in a Sentence
an affectionate child who gives hugs and kisses freely
Recent Examples on the Web
Harry's friend Nacho Figueras shared photos from the event on his Instagram, including one snap that showed the prince with an affectionate hand resting on his wife's back.
—
Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2024
Depriving ourselves of the opportunity to be affectionate toward others may also take a toll on our mental health.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
When a non-immigrant dad shows up (Mikey Day), he’s admonished for being too affectionate with his son.
—Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
They're known for being affectionate with family and children and are good with other dogs.
—USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024
Teacher and student’s open contempt for each other eventually evolves into an affectionate bond.
—Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024
The two men became close, which drove the relationship between the two agencies, and the Ukrainians gave the new station chief an affectionate nickname: Santa Claus.
—Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
Shania Twain Like her namesake, this dog is affectionate, kind, and talented.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2024
The overly affectionate buddy cops became a staple of the ’70s and oftentimes the punchline to erotic jokes.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 5 Jan. 2024
Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2024
Depriving ourselves of the opportunity to be affectionate toward others may also take a toll on our mental health.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
When a non-immigrant dad shows up (Mikey Day), he’s admonished for being too affectionate with his son.
—Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
They're known for being affectionate with family and children and are good with other dogs.
—USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024
Teacher and student’s open contempt for each other eventually evolves into an affectionate bond.
—Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024
The two men became close, which drove the relationship between the two agencies, and the Ukrainians gave the new station chief an affectionate nickname: Santa Claus.
—Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
Shania Twain Like her namesake, this dog is affectionate, kind, and talented.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2024
The overly affectionate buddy cops became a staple of the ’70s and oftentimes the punchline to erotic jokes.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 5 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'affectionate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near affectionate
Cite this Entry
“Affectionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affectionate. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
affectionate
adjective
af·fec·tion·ate
ə-ˈfek-sh(ə-)nət
: feeling or showing a great liking for a person or thing : loving
affectionately
adverb
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