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
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Noun
Cardinale, one of Napa Valley’s leading producers of Cabernet Sauvignon, has been a darling among serious collectors since it was founded in 1982. Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 28 Sep. 2025 Luchanko, of course, was the darling of that camp run by then-coach John Tortorella, who valued his speed, in particular. Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Old Navy Studded Clogs Add a pop of personality to your travel footwear collection with the Old Navy Studded Clogs that come in a darling cow print and will spice up even the simplest outfits in your suitcase. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2025 The fluffy, long-lasting flowers are so darling for fall. Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Darling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darling. Accessed 2 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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