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“Dear” or “Deer”

dear / deer are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term.

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Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

dear d·IH·r

  • adjectivewith or in a close or intimate relationship.
  • adjectiveearnest.

deer d·IH·r

  • noundistinguished from Bovidae by the male's having solid deciduous antlers.
Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“dear”

  • …bio drag (I Was Once Dear to You)
  • …referred to Morlotti as a dear friend.
  • …tokens or Ireland, which are dear to my soul."
  • 1996: Dear Diary (short film)
  • …with 90's roots rock act Dear Liza opening for Blues Traveler…
  • …the "scarily confident" Zosia and "dear little Digby" had so much…
  • Dear Miss Breed: Letters from Camp…
  • …was featured in an exhibit, "Dear Miss Breed": Letters from Camp.
  • "Our Dear Miss Jenny Collier", TLS (5…
  • …as the B-side of the "Dear Prudence" single in 1983.

“deer”

  • …Luke's Anglican Church in Red Deer, Alberta in 1899.
  • She runs into the deer, decides not to shoot it,…
  • …of birds chirping, a male deer and a gecko.
  • …his imperial zoological garden with deer, goats, birds and fish from…
  • …one of the largest sambar deer species with the largest antlers…
  • Sri Lankan sambar deer
  • …her (bear, mule, mountain lion, deer etc.).
  • …the Calgary Herald, the Red Deer News, Lethbridge Herald and the…
  • 1 see Foc/Tens capivara YI-Dat deer Com
  • There are deer, goats and pigs (in low…

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions are drawn from WordNet.

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