Synonyms

dear me

Idioms

Also, oh dear. A polite exclamation expressing surprise, distress, sympathy, etc. For example, Dear me, I forgot to mail it, or Oh dear, what a bad time you've been having. These usages may originally have invoked God, as in, which also continue to be so used. [Late 1600s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“We haven’t had much gold come from The Mountain, and that is our main source of trade, you know. And gold is all the king cares about. Dear me, have you been in the castle? Gold everywhere. Not in the kitchens, of course, but everywhere else—gold mirrors, gold vases, even the floors are gilded with gold, and the king drapes himself in gold every day.”

From Literature

Inspired by the documentary’s examination of her troubled youth, Warren wrote an “It gets better” ballad sung by Kesha: “Dear me, it’s gonna be all right, all right / Trust me, all of the pain is gonna fade.”

From Los Angeles Times

This year, her nomination is for Dear Me from the film Relentless - a documentary that is actually about Warren and her long and successful songwriting career.

From BBC

Original song “Dear Me” from “Diane Warren: Relentless” “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters” “I Lied To You” from “Sinners” “Sweet Dreams Of Joy” from “Viva Verdi!”

From Los Angeles Times

“Or perhaps they will make me walk the plank, as pirates do. Dear me, I ought to have learned to swim when I had the chance!”

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023