darling

noun

dar·ling | \ˈdär-liŋ

Definition of darling

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a dearly loved person

2 : favorite a director who is the darling of the critics

darling

adjective

Definition of darling (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : dearly loved : favorite

2 : very pleasing : charming

Darling

geographical name

Dar·ling | \ˈdär-liŋ

Definition of Darling (Entry 3 of 3)

river 1702 miles (2738 kilometers) long in southeastern Australia in Queensland and New South Wales flowing southwest into the Murray River

Other Words from darling Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about darling

Keep scrolling for more

Did You Know?

Noun

The origins of "darling" can be found in the very heart of the English language; its earliest known uses can be traced back to Old English writings from the 9th century. Old English "deorling" was formed by attaching the Old English suffix -ling ("one associated with or marked by a specified quality") with the adjective "dēore," the ancestor of our adjective "dear" ("regarded very affectionately or fondly," "highly valued or esteemed," "beloved"). English speakers appear to have developed a fondness for "darling" and have held on to it for over a thousand years now. And though its spelling has changed over time - including variations such as "dyrling," "derlinge," and "dearling" - "darling" has maintained its original sense of "one dearly loved."

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: Noun

Coachella, the pop culture darling of them all, kicked things off with Beyoncé in the spring. — Raisa Bruner, Time, "The 19 Best Summer Music Festivals of 2018," 27 Apr. 2018 Jealous is a darling of Maryland progressives and represents a Bernie Sanders-style candidate. — Erin Cox, baltimoresun.com, "Primary 101: A newcomer's guide to today's election in Maryland," 26 June 2018 Stranger Things was the science fiction darling of 2016. — Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, "Stare Into the Hellish Face of Stranger Things' Demogorgon," 3 Jan. 2017 The 16-month-old donned a darling flamingo swimsuit and white beach hat recently that further proves Haley already has great style .... just like her mama. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "Hoda Kotb and Jenna Hager Bush Just Posted THE Cutest Videos of Their Daughters," 5 July 2018 O'Rourke — who has drawn national attention for his effort to unseat Cruz, a Tea Party darling — trailed Cruz by 11 points in a late May poll released by Quinnipiac University. — Anna M. Tinsley, star-telegram, "Donald Trump or Beto O'Rourke: Who will motivate Texas Democrats more?," 18 June 2018 Jacobs was a critical darling at that point, staging fashion shows in the streets of Soho, winning CFDA awards for turning Perry Ellis grunge, and befriending the likes of Sofia Coppola and Kim Gordon. — Elizabeth Raiss, refinery29.com, "Why Do We Treat A Fashion Designer Leaving A Brand Like Someone Dying?," 14 June 2018 Kaia has been a major runway darling in the last several months. — Mekita Rivas, Teen Vogue, "Kaia Gerber Opens the Saint Laurent Spring 2019 Men's Show in NYC," 7 June 2018 Munro was asked whether arrogance might have played a role in shaping the tech industry darling's approach to automotive production, a relatively stodgy enterprise when compared with the shimmer of Silicon Valley. — Eric D. Lawrence, Detroit Free Press, "Tesla Model 3: Highly innovative, but built with 'dinosaur technology'," 26 Apr. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Across the way is the most darling wood-burning stove—plus solar, water, battery, and load meters. — Taysha Murtaugh, Country Living, "Just Wait Until You See the Inside of This Horse Truck-Turned-Tiny Home," 4 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'darling.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.