1
as in loved
granted special treatment or attention
they poured gifts and affection on their darling child
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in adorable
having qualities that tend to make one loved
a darling child that any couple would want to adopt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in delightful
giving pleasure or contentment to the mind or senses
what a darling set of dishes!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in favorite
a person or thing that is preferred over others
for a while that candidate was the darling of the news media and could do no wrong
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sweetheart
a person with whom one is in love
anything you say, darling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of darling
Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
The metal Ribbon candle sconce by Sarah Sherman Samuel is darling and coquettish for the holidays or beyond.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2025
Marc Malkin, Variety, 3 Jan. 2026
Jinkx Monsoon is a Broadway darling.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for darling
Adjective
The original battle site is preserved today by the National Park Service as a darling little plot penned in on all sides by urban Boston.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
The metal Ribbon candle sconce by Sarah Sherman Samuel is darling and coquettish for the holidays or beyond.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2025
Noun
The film, from director Paul Thomas Anderson, has been an early awards season darling, including winning the best picture prize from the National Society of Film Critics earlier Saturday.
—Marc Malkin, Variety, 3 Jan. 2026
Jinkx Monsoon is a Broadway darling.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for darling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darling
Adjective
-
But after 9/11, Tagliabue showed a different side, particularly toward league employees who had lost loved ones in the attacks.—
NPR,
NPR,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Preserving income, insurance and retirement Financial security also depends on preserving income and protecting loved ones.—
Bruce Helmer,
Twin Cities,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
This includes flouncy midi dresses, romantic blouses, and adorable footwear.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
But no amount of adorable anthropomorphic messaging can account for the screenwriters’ screaming lack of research and zero likable characters.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The result is luxuriously silky; a delightful foil to the crunchy graham cracker crust.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The sword and sorcery genre was always reliable for delightful low-budget cheese, with entries such as The Beastmaster, The Barbarians, and of course, the Deathstalker series.—
Bear McCreary,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Her favorite is the coca de dacsa, which comes with tuna, grated tomato, onion, and egg, plus an anchovy on top.—
Liz Provencher,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
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For more of the best deals in Lululemon’s End of Season Sale, check out our favorites below, including long- and short-sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, pants, leggings, bags, and more.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
His high school sweetheart, Lynne Anne Vincent, was the school’s head baton twirler and a straight-A student.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
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The high school sweethearts grew into a family of three over the years that includes their three children—Cordé, Cordell, and Cori Broadus.—
Essence,
Essence,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
There is so much pleasure to be had in rereading old favorites—and part of the joy is meeting beloved characters, who have been updated or somehow arrive in a new form to resist old tropes and types.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
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Due to the notoriety of the locally beloved sandwich, IndyStar recently held a Tenderloin Tournament to find the establishment that serves the best tenderloin in Indiana.—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
For them, socialism has meant only a hankering for state tyranny and brazen assaults on property rights that, together, threaten the beliefs every patriotic citizen holds dear.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
That, dear reader, is a mission worth pursuing.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
In October 2024, Wasdin celebrated Ashmore's 45th birthday with a sweet post on Instagram.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The Pats trusted their tight ends to handle Dolphins edge defenders on several occasions, and Henry did the job; not to mention his team-high five catches and sweet one-handed grab in the second quarter.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Darling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darling. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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