dearlyEnglishOxford American Thesaurusdearly adverb 1 she dearly wanted to see her family | I love my son dearly: very much, a great deal, greatly, deeply, profoundly, extremely; fondly, affectionately, devotedly, tenderly. 2 our freedom has been bought dearly: at great cost, at a high cost, at a high price, with great loss, with much loss, with much suffering, with much sacrifice.