sweetheart

1 of 2

noun

sweet·​heart ˈswēt-ˌhärt 

plural sweethearts

1

a

—used as a term of endearment

Jin-Ho's mother said, "The binky is all gone, sweetheart," but Xiu-Mei wouldn't hush.

—Anne Tyler

b

—used as an informal term of address

As the nurse prepared her shot, Grace sat on her mother's lap. … "This won't take two seconds," the nurse said. "My name's Nina. What's your name, sweetheart?"

—Bonnie Washuk

Chuck Tranium is the president of a talent agency, where he wears alligator shirts and calls his secretaries "sweetheart."

—Lucinda Franks

2

: someone who is loved

often, specifically : a romantic partner

… a music studio manager who plans to wed her college sweetheart this fall.

—Jennifer Oldham

3

: favorite entry 1 sense 1

It only makes sense that Vogue would choose America's sweetheart Jennifer Lawrence to grace the cover of its 125th September issue.

—Andrea Park

Heck, Mike Wallace isn't everybody's sweetheart either but he certainly contributes a lot to the success of 60 Minutes.

—Don Merrill

4

: a generally likable person

Some customers are total sweethearts. Others require a tremendous amount of hand-holding, follow-up service, and support.

—Paul B. Brown

especially : one who is kind and gentle

Most important, she often stays a few minutes to chat. … "She's a real sweetheart," an … elderly woman tells me. "What would I do without her?"

—Chris Jerome

It was often through this task—which he approached with a blend of gentle, down-to-earth humor and humility—that he gained the respect and adoration of many agents. It was common to be approached at trade shows by agents saying, "Tell Matt he is such a sweetheart."

—Kenneth Shapiro

5

: a remarkable one of its kind

The Camaro was a sweetheart except for its Wiesmann gearbox, which had me thoroughly befuddled.

—Car and Driver

see also sweetheart deal

sweetheart

2 of 2

adjective

: of or relating to an agreement between an employer and a labor union official arranged privately for their benefit usually at the expense of the workers

a sweetheart contract

broadly : arranged in private for the benefit of a few at the expense of many

a sweetheart deal

Synonyms

Noun

• darling
• sweetie
• dear
• girlfriend
• sweet

Examples of sweetheart in a Sentence

Noun

Be a sweetheart and help your grandmother.

She is such a little sweetheart.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Just two weeks ago, the Scot had attended Jota’s wedding to his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso, at the 18th-century Igreja da Lapa church in Porto, and was pictured beaming alongside his team-mate and his bride. —Andy Jones, New York Times, 6 July 2025

The American sweethearts clad in white and blue are returning for a second season on Netflix. —Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

Adjective

The stunning dress — complete with ruching detail on the bodice and a sweetheart V-neck — takes Vivian from a duckling to a swan, leaving everyone (including Edward) in awe while on a date at the opera to watch a performance of Verdi's La Traviata. —Andrea Wurzburger, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025

This romantic shade is perfect for a sweetheart French manicure. —Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 31 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1942, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sweetheart

• sweetheart deal
• sweetheart neckline

Rhymes for sweetheart

• apart
• depart
• flowchart
• forepart
• impart
• pushcart
• rampart
• redstart
• restart
• subpart
• upstart
• art

Kids Definition

sweetheart

noun

sweet·​heart

ˈswēt-ˌhärt

: a person whom one loves