sweetheart

sweetheart — noun

1. the person you love romantically and spend your life with, such as a boyfriend,

1.nounA2
Definition

the person you love romantically and spend your life with, such as a boyfriend, girlfriend, or the person you intend to marry

Example

Eri brought her sweetheart to the family dinner so everyone could meet him.

possessive + sweetheart

The old photograph shows Nadia and her high school sweetheart at their graduation dance.

high school sweetheart

Common collocations
  • childhood sweetheart
  • high school sweetheart
Synonyms
  • boyfriend

    refers specifically to a male romantic partner, more common in everyday speech

  • girlfriend

    refers specifically to a female romantic partner

  • partner

    gender-neutral and more common in formal or long-term relationship contexts

Grammar Patterns

possessive + sweetheart

sweetheart + of + noun phrase

2. a word used to call someone you love in a warm and caring way, especially a chil

2.nounA2
Definition

a word used to call someone you love in a warm and caring way, especially a child, a romantic partner, or a close family member

Example

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Everything will be fine," Élise said to her little boy.

direct address after comma

Wren called her grandmother on the phone and said, "Good night, sweetheart."

Synonyms
  • darling

    similar meaning but slightly more formal or old-fashioned

  • honey

    very common in American English; used for both partners and children

  • dear

    more common in British English; can feel less emotionally warm

Grammar Patterns

used in direct address (calling someone)

Usage Note

Only used when speaking directly to someone (as a form of address), not when talking about them in the third person. For example, you say 'Come here, sweetheart' to your child, but you would not say 'She is a sweetheart' to mean you call her that — that belongs to sense 1 or sense 3 instead.

Common Mistakes

I told sweetheart to come home.
I told my sweetheart to come home.
When not used as direct address, sweetheart needs a possessive word like 'my' or 'your' (this follows sense 1 usage).

3. a person who is very kind, generous, and thoughtful towards others

3.nounB1
Definition

a person who is very kind, generous, and thoughtful towards others

Example

Thank you for helping me move the furniture. Rohan, you are a real sweetheart.

you are a real sweetheart

Their neighbour Mrs. Chen is such a sweetheart; she brings soup whenever someone is sick.

such a sweetheart + reason clause

Common collocations
  • be a sweetheart
  • a real sweetheart
  • such a sweetheart
Synonyms
  • darling

    can also describe a kind person, but is less common for this use

  • angel

    more emphatic; suggests someone who is extremely helpful or patient

Grammar Patterns

be a sweetheart

be a real sweetheart

Usage Note

Often appears in expressions of thanks ("Thanks, you're a sweetheart") or in polite requests ("Be a sweetheart and..."). Likely to be used between people who know each other well.

sweetheart — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Sweetheart' is a warm, affectionate term for a romantic partner. It does not specify gender and can be used by or about anyone in a romantic relationship. 'Boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' are the most common everyday words for someone you are dating but not married to; they are clearer about gender but carry less emotional warmth. 'Partner' is gender-neutral and can refer to a long-term spouse-like relationship, often used in formal or legal settings such as insurance or hospital forms. 'Lover' puts more emphasis on the physical or sexual side of the relationship and is less suitable for describing a committed or public relationship. Use 'sweetheart' when you want to highlight affection and emotional closeness rather than relationship status. For example, 'Eri brought her sweetheart to the dinner' sounds warmer than 'Eri brought her boyfriend to the dinner.' When writing in a formal context, 'partner' is the safest neutral choice.

sweetheart ↗boyfriend ↗girlfriend ↗partner ↗lover ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • childhood sweetheart
  • high school sweetheart
  • sweetheart deal
  • sweetheart agreement

Phrases

  • my sweetheart
  • your sweetheart
  • be a sweetheart

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Sweetheart' comes from two Old English words: 'swēte' (sweet, pleasant) and 'heorte' (heart). The two words were first written together as 'swete herte' around the year 1200, used as a loving way to call someone (sense 2). By the 1500s, the term had also come to mean 'a person someone is in love with' (sense 1). The sense of 'a kind person' (sense 3) developed during the 1800s. The adjective use in phrases like 'sweetheart deal' is a more recent 20th-century American innovation, originally appearing in labor-union contexts.