Precious

/ˈpɹɛʃ.əs/ · adjective

Meaning

Of high value or worth..

Definitions by Sense

1. Of high value or worth.
2. Regarded with love or tenderness.
3. (derogatory, antiphrastic) Treated with too much reverence.
4. (writing, ironic) Excessively complicated.
5. (informal, followed by about) Extremely protective or strict (about something).
6. (informal, derogatory) Blasted; damned.
7. (derogatory) Contrived to be cute or charming.
8. (colloquial) Thorough; utter.

Example Sentences

The crown had many precious gemstones. This building work needs site access, and tell the city council that I don't care about a few lorry tyre ruts across their precious grass verge.

People are a good thing, the most precious resource in a rich economy, so the progressive-minded feel. Only misanthropists disagree or the dottier Malthusians who send green-ink tweets deploring any state assistance for child-rearing.

The way my partner looks at me is just so precious.

He spent hours painting the eyes of the portrait, which his fellow artists regarded as a bit precious.

Writers are often very precious about their work.

Pro chefs can be very precious about their kit. Watch a bartender trying to borrow a simple, cheap fruit-knife from the kitchen and you'll see what I mean.

Well, I didn't realize it until almost after the fact. I wrote all these songs very quickly; I did a whole lot of material and wasn't too precious about it. The lyric writing was done in much the same way. I wrote stuff and sang it, and the demos stuck, which is different from what I've done before, when I edited it.

Hearing what a struggle it was for her, I began to understand why some people are so precious about being Irish. Being second-generation Irish, she had the option to hide behind her accent. Instead she would thump her fist to defend Irish people from those speaking out against them.

Synonyms for precious

Antonyms for precious

Related Words

Word Forms

• more precious
• most precious
• pretious
• preciouses

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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