darling

darling — noun

1. someone you love very much and feel a close emotional bond with

1.nounA2
Definition

someone you love very much and feel a close emotional bond with

Example

Layla kept a photograph of her late grandmother, who had always been her darling.

possessive pattern: her darling / my darling

To his parents, Hyun remained their darling even after he moved abroad for work.

Common collocations
  • my darling
  • her darling
  • the family darling
  • the darling of
Synonyms
  • beloved

    more formal and literary; less common in everyday speech

  • sweetheart

    informal; used especially between romantic partners

  • dear

    more general; can describe anyone you care about, not only a specific person

Grammar Patterns

sb's darling

the darling of [group]

Usage Note

Frequently used with a possessive adjective (my darling, her darling) or in the structure 'the darling of + family/group'.

Common Mistakes

She is a darling of the team' (unnatural without 'the' before a plural group).
She is the darling of the team.
'darling' in this sense typically uses a definite article or possessive.

2. someone who is especially well-liked by a group of people because of their kind,

2.nounB1
Definition

someone who is especially well-liked by a group of people because of their kind, friendly, or charming nature

Example

With his easy smile and helpful manner, Ishaan quickly became the darling of the office.

collocation: the darling of [place/group]

The young actress was Hollywood's darling for nearly a decade after her first hit film.

Common collocations
  • the darling of
  • become the darling
  • media darling
  • Hollywood darling
Synonyms
  • favourite

    more general; can refer to any preferred person or thing

  • pet

    informal; often implies the person is treated with special favour

  • idol

    stronger; suggests admiration rather than affection

Grammar Patterns

the darling of [group/place]

Usage Note

This sense is almost always used with a definite article or a possessive before 'darling', followed by 'of' or a possessive noun showing the group.

Idioms

the Darling

idiom

a major river in southeastern Australia, about 2,740 kilometres long, flowing through Queensland and New South Wales into the Murray River

The Darling River is an important water source for farming communities in inland New South Wales.

darling — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to someone you care about, but they differ in formality, context, and emotional weight. 'Darling' is warm and intimate, used both as a noun ('she is my darling') and a direct address ('Hello, darling'). 'Beloved' is more formal and literary, often appearing in religious or ceremonial language ('my beloved son'). 'Sweetheart' is informal and slightly old-fashioned; it is very common between romantic partners but can also be used for children. 'Dear' is the most versatile and neutral — it can appear in letters ('Dear Sir'), as a casual form of address, or as a noun ('she is a dear'). 'Love' as a noun of address is chiefly British and can sound familiar or warm depending on the relationship. In everyday Taiwanese learner contexts, 'darling' and 'sweetheart' are the most natural choices for romantic settings, while 'dear' works across more situations.

beloved ↗sweetheart ↗dear ↗love ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • the darling of
  • become the darling
  • my darling

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Darling comes from Old English 'dēorling', which was formed by joining 'dēore' (meaning dear, precious, or valued) with the suffix '-ling' (meaning 'a person who is' or 'a person belonging to'). So the original meaning was literally 'a little dear one' or 'one who is dearly loved'. The word has kept this core meaning for over a thousand years, making it one of the oldest English terms of endearment still in everyday use.