Enamored vs. Love — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 13, 2023
"Enamored" describes being infatuated or charmed by someone, while "Love" is a deep, affectionate feeling towards someone or something.
Difference Between Enamored and Love
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Enamored" usually describes a state of being infatuated or charmed by someone or something. "Love," on the other hand, encompasses a vast array of feelings, states, and attitudes, ranging from pleasure to profound interpersonal affection. Enamored generally conveys a sense of smitten or fleeting affection, while love carries a deeper, more encompassing meaning.
Discussing "enamored," it tends to lean towards a feeling of being smitten or captivated. Conversely, "love" is broadly utilized and can convey diverse feelings, attitudes, and states, not restricted to interpersonal love. Enamored typically signals a kind of surface-level attraction or fascination, while love suggests a deeper, potentially long-lasting connection.
When discussing the breadth of meaning, "enamored" falls short compared to "love." "Love" spans various contexts, from familial love to romantic love to a love for activities or objects. Enamored is often more situational, usually being used to describe a kind of romantic or quasi-romantic attraction, while love is notably more flexible in application.
While "enamored" often denotes a kind of playful, perhaps even superficial attraction or admiration, "love" is often seen as a sincere, deep affection and care for another person or thing. Love can be platonic, romantic, familial, and more, showcasing its wide-ranging applicability compared to enamored.
An interesting distinction lies in the durability and depth of the feelings described by "enamored" and "love." While one can be enamored with a person or thing, implying a form of transient or potentially superficial affection, love typically suggests a steadier, more enduring emotion, applicable in varied contexts and depths.
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Comparison Chart
Basic Definition
Being infatuated or charmed
Deep affection or care
Emotional Depth
Often superficial or fleeting
Can be profound and enduring
Application
Primarily romantic or quasi-romantic
Broad (romantic, platonic, familial, etc.)
Duration of Feeling
Potentially transient
Can be long-lasting
Common Use in Speech
Less common than love
More universally used
Compare with Definitions
Enamored
Filled with a feeling of love.
They were enamored with their new puppy.
Love
A profound feeling of affection.
His love for his family was evident.
Enamored
Having a slight or superficial liking.
He’s enamored with the idea of becoming an astronaut.
Love
An expression of affectionate concern.
She sent her love to her friend.
Enamored
Charmed or captivated by someone.
The audience was enamored with the actor.
Love
Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of meanings is that the love of a mother differs from the love of a spouse, which differs from the love of food.
Enamored
Infatuated with someone.
She was enamored with her neighbor.
Love
A strong feeling of affection and concern toward another person, as that arising from kinship or close friendship.
Enamored
Experiencing a feeling of admiration.
I’m enamored with your bravery.
Love
A strong feeling of affection and concern for another person accompanied by sexual attraction.
Enamored
To inspire with love; captivate
Was enamored of the beautiful dancer.
Were enamored with the charming island.
Love
A feeling of devotion or adoration toward God or a god.
Enamored
In love, amorous.
She's enamored of [or with] her new boyfriend.
Love
A feeling of kindness or concern by God or a god toward humans.
Enamored
Simple past tense and past participle of enamor
Love
Often Love(Christianity) Charity.
Enamored
Marked by foolish or unreasoning fondness;
She was crazy about him
Gaga over the rock group's new album
He was infatuated with her
Love
Sexual desire or activity
The pleasures of love.
A night of love.
Love
An instance of being in love
Teenage loves can be as fleeting as they are intense.
Love
A person for whom one has strong feelings of affection
She met her new love at the restaurant.
Love
Used as a term of endearment for such a person.
Love
An intense emotional attachment to something, as to a pet or treasured object.
Love
An expression of one's affection
Send him my love.
Love
A strong predilection or enthusiasm
A love of language.
Love for the game of golf.
Love
The object of such an enthusiasm
The outdoors is her greatest love.
Love
Love(Mythology) Eros or Cupid.
Love
(Sports) A score of zero, as in tennis.
Love
To feel love for (a person)
We love our parents. I love my friends.
Love
To feel sexual love for (a person).
Love
To feel devotion to (God or a god).
Love
To feel or show kindness or concern to (a person). Used of God or a god.
Love
To have an intense emotional attachment to
Loves his house.
Love
To embrace or caress
They were loving each other on the sofa.
Love
To have sexual intercourse with.
Love
To like or desire enthusiastically
Loves swimming.
Love
To thrive on; need
The cactus loves hot, dry air.
Love
To feel love or sexual love for another.
Love
(uncountable) A deep caring for the existence of another.
Love
(uncountable) Strong affection.
Love
A profound and caring affection towards someone.
A mother’s love is not easily shaken.
My husband’s love is the most important thing in my life.
Love
Affectionate, benevolent concern or care for other people or beings, and for their well-being.
Love
A feeling of intense attraction towards someone.
I have never been in love as much as I have with you.
Love
A deep or abiding liking for something; an enthusiasm for something.
My love of cricket knows no bounds.
Love
(countable) A person who is the object of romantic feelings; a darling, a sweetheart, a beloved.
Love
A term of friendly address, regardless of feelings.
Hello love, how can I help you?
Love
A thing, activity, etc. which is the object of one's deep liking or enthusiasm.
Love
(euphemistic) Sexual desire; attachment based on sexual attraction.
Love
(euphemistic) Sexual activity.
Love
An instance or episode of being in love; a love affair.
Love
Used as the closing, before the signature, of a letter, especially between good friends or family members, or by the young.
Love
(obsolete) A thin silk material.
Love
A climbing plant, Clematis vitalba.
Love
Zero, no score.
So that’s fifteen-love to Kournikova.
Love
Nothing; no recompense.
Love
To have a strong affection for (someone or something).
I love my spouse.
I love you!
I love that song!
Love
(transitive) To need, thrive on.
Mold loves moist, dark places.
Love
(transitive) To be strongly inclined towards something; an emphatic form of like.
I love walking barefoot on wet grass;
I'd love to join the team;
I love what you've done with your hair
Love
To care deeply about, to be dedicated to (someone or something).
Love
(transitive) To derive delight from a fact or situation.
I love the fact that the coffee shop now offers fat-free chai latte.
Love
To have sex with (perhaps from make love).
I wish I could love her all night long.
Love
A feeling of strong attachment induced by that which delights or commands admiration; preëminent kindness or devotion to another; affection; tenderness; as, the love of brothers and sisters.
Of all the dearest bonds we proveThou countest sons' and mothers' loveMost sacred, most Thine own.
Love
Especially, devoted attachment to, or tender or passionate affection for, one of the opposite sex.
He on his sideLeaning half-raised, with looks of cordial loveHung over her enamored.
Love
Courtship; - chiefly in the phrase to make love, i. e., to court, to woo, to solicit union in marriage.
Demetrius . . . Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena,And won her soul.
Love
Affection; kind feeling; friendship; strong liking or desire; fondness; good will; - opposed to hate; often with of and an object.
Love, and health to all.
Smit with the love of sacred song.
The love of science faintly warmed his breast.
Love
Due gratitude and reverence to God.
Keep yourselves in the love of God.
Love
The object of affection; - often employed in endearing address; as, he held his love in his arms; his greatest love was reading.
Open the temple gates unto my love.
Love
Cupid, the god of love; sometimes, Venus.
Such was his form as painters, when they showTheir utmost art, on naked Lores bestow.
Therefore do nimble-pinioned doves draw Love.
Love
A thin silk stuff.
Love
A climbing species of Clematis (Clematis Vitalba).
Love
Nothing; no points scored on one side; - used in counting score at tennis, etc.
He won the match by three sets to love.
Love
Sexual intercourse; - a euphemism.
A little western flower,Before milk-white, now purple with love's wound;And maidens call it love-in-idleness.
Love
To have a feeling of love for; to regard with affection or good will; as, to love one's children and friends; to love one's country; to love one's God.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self.
Love
To regard with passionate and devoted affection, as that of one sex for the other.
Love
To take delight or pleasure in; to have a strong liking or desire for, or interest in; to be pleased with; to like; as, to love books; to love adventures.
Wit, eloquence, and poetry.Arts which I loved.
Love
To have the feeling of love; to be in love.
Love
A strong positive emotion of regard and affection;
His love for his work
Children need a lot of love
Love
Any object of warm affection or devotion;
The theater was her first love
He has a passion for cock fighting
Love
A beloved person; used as terms of endearment
Love
A deep feeling of sexual desire and attraction;
Their love left them indifferent to their surroundings
She was his first love
Love
A score of zero in tennis or squash;
It was 40 love
Love
Sexual activities (often including sexual intercourse) between two people;
His lovemaking disgusted her
He hadn't had any love in months
He has a very complicated love life
Love
Have a great affection or liking for;
I love French food
She loves her boss and works hard for him
Love
Get pleasure from;
I love cooking
Love
Be enamored or in love with;
She loves her husband deeply
Love
Have sexual intercourse with;
This student sleeps with everyone in her dorm
Adam knew Eve
Were you ever intimate with this man?
Love
A preference or like for something.
Her love for chocolate is well-known.
Love
A term of endearment.
“Hello, my love,” he greeted her.
Love
To feel a romantic emotional desire.
They love each other deeply.
Common Curiosities
Is "enamored" only used in romantic contexts?
Predominantly, but not exclusively.
Can “love” be used in non-personal contexts?
Yes, like loving an activity or object.
Is "love" always profound and intense?
Not always; context determines its depth and sincerity.
Is being “enamored” always positive?
Mostly, but can suggest superficiality.
Can “love” describe self-feelings?
Yes, as in self-love or self-care.
Can "love" describe a fleeting feeling?
Generally, love implies a deeper, lasting emotion.
Can “love” be used negatively?
Rarely, but possible in ironic or sarcastic contexts.
Can “love” be used in casual friendships?
Yes, as in loving a friend platonically.
Can “enamored” describe a deep emotional state?
Typically, it suggests a lighter, possibly transient affection.
Can “enamored” be used for non-romantic likes?
Yes, e.g., being enamored with a hobby.
Can “love” imply family relations?
Yes, it can describe familial affection.
Can “enamored” imply a kind of obsession?
It can, especially in romantic contexts.
Is “enamored” often used in everyday language?
Less common than love, but used.
Is “enamored” synonymous with “love”?
They overlap but differ in depth and breadth of use.
Can you be “enamored” with an idea?
Yes, suggesting a keen interest or liking.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
