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
: 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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