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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.”
Examples of darling in a Sentence
Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
From dot-com darling to infrastructure workhorse Founded in 1984, Cisco is traditionally known as the backbone of the internet—its routers, switches, and networking hardware have powered enterprise and carrier networks for decades.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 15 May 2026
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 May 2026
Adorned with a darling floral print and fitted with two deep side pockets, this mini is both flattering and functional.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for darling
Cite this Entry
“Darling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darling. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
darling
1 of 2 noun
Geographical Definition
Darling
geographical name
