darling 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of darlingnext
1
as in loved
granted special treatment or attention they poured gifts and affection on their darling child

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in adorable
having qualities that tend to make one loved a darling child that any couple would want to adopt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in delightful
giving pleasure or contentment to the mind or senses what a darling set of dishes!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

darling

2 of 2

noun

ˈdär-liŋ How to pronounce darling (audio)
1
as in favorite
a person or thing that is preferred over others for a while that candidate was the darling of the news media and could do no wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sweetheart
a person with whom one is in love anything you say, darling

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of darling
Adjective
Take a look at the rest of our picks for more darling dresses for summer, all from Amazon. — Dena Ogden, Southern Living, 22 June 2026 The show is part variety spectacular, part cabaret, part magic show, but always exceptionally darling. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 May 2026
Noun
Ogbonnaya and Morimoto have long been critical darlings, the former getting a 2020 Chicagoan of the Year nod in this paper. — Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026 Today’s darling, the new CCGT1, advances the formula with a new transmission technology called Koenigsegg Sequential Shift. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for darling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darling
  1. loved
  2. adorable
  3. delightful
  4. favorite
  5. sweetheart
  6. beloved
  7. dear
  8. sweet
Adjective
  • Kennedy says that this shift in tone didn’t stem from her personal feelings but from the whistleblowers and the families who lost loved ones.
    — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The rest of the photos showed Elizabeth side-by-side with her loved ones, including a silly photo of Elizabeth and Collins in a pool.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of loved
Adjective
  • Heading Straight To The Store A shopping trip is certainly the easiest part of a home project, especially with so many adorable storage organizers on the market.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026
  • While your pup is adorable, vet visits, grooming, dog food, toys and other everyday costs can add up quickly.
    — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of adorable
Adjective
  • Nutty and sweet coconut shrimp is a delightful way to enjoy shellfish.
    — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The 20-year-old’s delightful run to set up Switzerland’s opening goal against Algeria at the World Cup, on their way to a last-32 win, was a highlights-reel moment, as was his brace against Bosnia & Herzegovina.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of delightful
Noun
  • Vegas has tabbed the Red Raiders as the overwhelming favorite.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Manley, though, was more circumspect about Wasserman Schultz’s status as the favorite.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of favorite
Noun
  • In this Southern mystery with a sci-fi twist, tensions rise in a small Bible Belt community when faced with the appearance of mysterious lights in the sky, the strange disappearance of a local sweetheart, and the possible connection between them.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026
  • His college sweetheart and wife of nearly 56 years, Mickey, died in 2011.
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of sweetheart
Adjective
  • Plus, beloved companions like Pascal and more are taking center stage in playful designs.
    — Casey DelBasso, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Once, the tired, poor and huddled masses from all over the world have helped grow this nation, and our beloved city.
    — Nancy Hagans, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of beloved
Adjective
  • But don’t worry, dear reader, Coughlan will not disappear completely from the popular Netflix series, set to be released next year.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • On New Year’s Day, a dear friend — fellow comic and hospitality giant Danny Benavente (Dead Flamingo) — unexpectedly died at age 42 while in Greece.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of dear
Adjective
  • Licorice root extract brings soothing and brightening benefits, and a nourishing blend of sunflower, sweet almond, moringa, and rice germ oils, plus shea butter, softens dry skin and seals in moisture.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The post featured several sweet moments, including one of her placing a veil on her daughter’s head.
    — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of sweet

Browse Nearby Words

darksome
darling
darlingness
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Darling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darling. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on darling

Nglish: Translation of darling for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of prowess

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All