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

The final spot could come down to the Bison or Richmond, another mid-major darling that didn’t win its conference tournament. —Grace Raynor, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026

If only—but at the end of the day, no food is a magic bullet, not even TikTok’s darlings. —Caroline Tien, SELF, 9 Mar. 2026

Adjective

Sandy Liang graced us with so much darling fashion inspo, including fluffy heels that look like bunny slippers. —Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 23 Feb. 2026

The darling Swiss-dot design creates visual intrigue, while the flowy sleeves and skirt allow for ample freedom of movement. —Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 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