1
as in favorites
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sweethearts
a person with whom one is in love
anything you say, darling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of darlings
The group included darlings of the far right, the left, moderates and many in between.
—
Leah Askarinam, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
Software businesses that have been darlings of tech in past years are at risk of falling out of fashion with investors while AI models continue to develop and get better at writing code.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025
Now, after a rash of injuries, the preseason darlings are in danger of falling out of playoff contention.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Unlike most iris, these darlings grow from a bulb, not a rhizome.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
Wide receiver Traeshon Holden has been one of the training camp darlings with his electric catches and smooth route-running ability.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2025
Carolina wants to protect potential practice-squad darlings, and no cuts have been made as of Friday.
—Mike Kaye
august 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2025
The Texas Longhorns are everyone's college football darlings heading into the 2025 season.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
They’re given a moment in the sun, and that’s perhaps enough — these are among those indie darlings that have been talked about to death over the years.
—Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Leah Askarinam, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
Software businesses that have been darlings of tech in past years are at risk of falling out of fashion with investors while AI models continue to develop and get better at writing code.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025
Now, after a rash of injuries, the preseason darlings are in danger of falling out of playoff contention.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Unlike most iris, these darlings grow from a bulb, not a rhizome.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
Wide receiver Traeshon Holden has been one of the training camp darlings with his electric catches and smooth route-running ability.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2025
Carolina wants to protect potential practice-squad darlings, and no cuts have been made as of Friday.
—Mike Kaye
august 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2025
The Texas Longhorns are everyone's college football darlings heading into the 2025 season.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
They’re given a moment in the sun, and that’s perhaps enough — these are among those indie darlings that have been talked about to death over the years.
—Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darlings
Noun
-
Read on to shop our favorites starting at $3.—
Melody Kazel,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
These are the fall favorites associated with sweater weather, pumpkin everything, apple cider and falling leaves.—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Akl and Hasan Akil (Memory Box) star as childhood sweethearts Yasmina and Nino, who lose sight of one another to reunite in their late 20s, with their relationship developing in step with the tumultuous history of Lebanon.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
2 Sep. 2025
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The high school sweethearts got married in 2014 and welcomed their son, Stefan, in October of that same year.—
Skyler Caruso,
People.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Monteverde’s cloud forest is a haven for nature lovers, with canopy walks and wildlife encounters that will delight young and old alike.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Their model allows coffee lovers to directly invest in coffee trees, funding farmers who need upfront capital to allocate for faster farm growth, whilst also getting a share of the revenue.—
Sandy Peng,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Darlings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darlings. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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