1
: a dearly loved person
2
: favorite
a director who is the darling of the critics
darlingness
noun
Examples of darling in a Sentence
Noun
She was mother's little darling.
for a while that candidate was the darling of the news media and could do no wrong
Adjective
This is my darling daughter, Sara.
That dress is just darling.
Recent Examples on the Web
Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
The Song Sung Blue actress has cemented herself as an awards season darling for her role as Claire Sardina, one half of a real-life Neil Diamond tribute band—and Hudson embraced a sartorial challenge while combining so many divisive trends into one monochromatic look on Sunday night.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 16 Feb. 2026
Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
Outdoors, the home features a darling 80-square-foot front porch that can accommodate small outdoor furniture like rocking chairs, a bistro set, or garden bench.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for darling
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Noun
Designer-darling nail artist Jin Soon Choi topped fingers and toes at Proenza Schouler with a hazy cerulean polish named Sea Clay from her eponymous line.
—Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
The Song Sung Blue actress has cemented herself as an awards season darling for her role as Claire Sardina, one half of a real-life Neil Diamond tribute band—and Hudson embraced a sartorial challenge while combining so many divisive trends into one monochromatic look on Sunday night.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The darling Swiss-dot design creates visual intrigue, while the flowy sleeves and skirt allow for ample freedom of movement.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
Outdoors, the home features a darling 80-square-foot front porch that can accommodate small outdoor furniture like rocking chairs, a bistro set, or garden bench.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for darling
Cite this Entry
“Darling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darling. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
darling
1 of 2 noun
dar·ling
ˈdär-liŋ 
1
: a dearly loved person
Geographical Definition
Darling
geographical name
Dar·ling
ˈdär-liŋ
river 1702 miles (2738 kilometers) long in southeastern Australia in Queensland and New South Wales flowing southwest into the Murray River
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