darling

1 of 2

noun

dar·​ling ˈdär-liŋ 

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

ˈdär-liŋ-lē 

adverb

darlingness noun

Did you know?

The opening lines of the rock band Wilco’s song “My Darling,” sung from the perspective of a parent calming their sleepless child, demonstrate a very common use of the word darling: “Go back to sleep now, my darling / And I’ll keep all the bad dreams away.” Darling is an ancient word, traceable all the way back to the Old English noun dēorling, which was formed by attaching the suffix -ling to the adjective dēore, the ancestor of dear, which describes that which is regarded very affectionately or fondly, is highly valued or esteemed, or is beloved. Darling, as in “my darling,” is often used as a term of endearment, whether for a child or a sweetheart, but it can also be used as a synonym of the noun favorite, as in “the word darling has proven itself a darling of songwriters for many centuries.”

Synonyms of darling

Noun

• favorite

Adjective

• loved
• beloved
• cherished
• precious
• favorite
• sweet
• dear
• special

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

Meta isn't exactly a Wall Street darling at the moment either, as the stock fell 14% in October for its worst month since October 2022. — Ari Levy, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026

Once a darling of the city’s liberal elite, the Los Angeles mayor is facing a challenge from a younger progressive who has friends of her own in the entertainment industry. — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 28 Oct. 2026

Adjective

In the center is Santa's workshop, where a dizzying array of toys loops through, around, and above the darling little building. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

It’s designed with a darling sailor-style collar accentuated with white stitching that extends down the front, while the red knit is complemented with ribbing at the hem and sleeves. — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 24 Aug. 2026

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

Rhymes for darling

• carling
• harling
• marling
• snarling
• sparling
• starling

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Kids Definition

darling

1 of 2 noun

dar·​ling ˈdär-liŋ 

1

: a dearly loved person

2

: favorite entry 1 sense 1

darling

2 of 2 adjective

1

: dearly loved : favorite

2

: very pleasing : charming

Geographical Definition

Darling

geographical name

Dar·​ling ˈdär-liŋ 

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