darling

1 of 2

noun

dar·​ling ˈdär-liŋ How to pronounce darling (audio)
1
: a dearly loved person
2
: favorite
a director who is the darling of the critics

darling

2 of 2

adjective

1
: dearly loved : favorite
2
: very pleasing : charming
darlingly adverb
darlingness noun

Examples of darling in a Sentence

Noun She was mother's little darling. for a while that candidate was the darling of the news media and could do no wrong Adjective This is my darling daughter, Sara. That dress is just darling.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
This darling cardigan sweater with scalloped detailing is only $15 thanks to a 55 percent discount, and this popular raglan blouse that comes in a variety of patterns and colors is down to $8 today. Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025 Eggar became a darling of horror fans by appearing in such fare as The Dead Are Alive! Chris Koseluk, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
That was especially the case with Cam Schlittler, the darling rookie of the Wild Card round who shut down the Boston Red Sox to help his squad move on in the postseason. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2025 The original battle site is preserved today by the National Park Service as a darling little plot penned in on all sides by urban Boston. Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for darling

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English derling, from Old English dēorling, from dēore dear

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of darling was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Darling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darling. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

darling

1 of 2 noun
dar·​ling ˈdär-liŋ How to pronounce darling (audio)
1
: a dearly loved person
2

darling

2 of 2 adjective
1
: dearly loved : favorite
2
: very pleasing : charming

Geographical Definition

Darling

geographical name

Dar·​ling ˈdär-liŋ How to pronounce Darling (audio)
river 1702 miles (2738 kilometers) long in southeastern Australia in Queensland and New South Wales flowing southwest into the Murray River

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