Cherish vs Love what
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Cherish
Top 3,000 (common)
Love what
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Love what
| Cherish | Love what | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈtʃɛrɪʃ//🇺🇸 //ˈtʃɛrɪʃ// | 🇬🇧 //lʌv wɒt//🇺🇸 //lʌv wɑt// |
| Meaning | To love and take care of something or someone | A phrase used to express enjoyment or appreciation of something. |
| Example | I will always **cherish** the moments we spent together. | I love what you've done with the decorations! |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | cherish a memory, cherish a relationship, cherish an opportunity, cherish the moments, cherish your loved ones | love what you do, love what you see, love what you hear |
| Antonyms | neglect, disdain, abandon | - |
| Common mistakes | Confusing with 'cherish' and 'cherished' without knowing the tense., Using 'cherish' for material possessions instead of emotions or relationships., Saying 'cherish for' instead of 'cherish'. | Confused with 'love that' - 'love what' is more specific., Using 'love what' with incomplete clauses., Incorrectly stressing 'what' in casual speech. |
| Usage notes | Use 'cherish' for valuable people or memories. More emotional than 'value'. Avoid in casual conversations. | Use this phrase when you want to show strong positive feelings towards something specific. It is often used in responses to questions or statements. |
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Frequently asked questions: Cherish vs Love what
What's the difference between Cherish and Love what?
Cherish: To love and take care of something or someone Love what: A phrase used to express enjoyment or appreciation of something.
Which is more common: Cherish and Love what?
Love what is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Cherish: I will always **cherish** the moments we spent together. Love what: I love what you've done with the decorations!
Can I use Cherish and Love what interchangeably?
Not always. Cherish and Love what are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.