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 casting of two darlings of early 2000s indie cinema — Paul Giamatti as Adams and Laura Linney as First Lady Abigail Adams — was inspired.
—
David Faris, TheWeek, 24 Apr. 2026
Names like Allan Deberton, Rafhael Barbosa, Tiago Melo and Nara Normande have launched festival darlings and have exciting new projects in the pipeline.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
Arsenal enters the match as the favorite, but Sporting has been resilient in the Champions League, rebounding from a 3-0 loss to tournament darlings Bodo/Glimt with a 5-0 thrashing in Lisbon.
—Pueng Vongs, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
After delivering back-to-back Cannes darlings with the Camera d’Or winner Girl (2018) and Grand Prix-winning Close (2022), Dhont is returning to Cannes with his third feature and his first period piece.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
In between seasons, Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeney, and the rest of the cast have come to rule Hollywood, starring in blockbuster franchises, A24 and Neon film-festival darlings, and generating buzzy press cycles all on their own.
—The Editors, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2026
Among the standout pairings were country darlings Maddie & Tae, originally from Texas and Oklahoma, respectively.
—Amelia Edelman, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
Optical component makers are investors’ latest darlings.
—Ryan Vlastelica, Bloomberg, 2 Apr. 2026
Those making more bookish and insular styles of the genre, like the Magnetic Fields and Belle and Sebastian, weren’t being worshipped as critical darlings; in some cases their records hadn’t made it to America yet.
—David Glickman, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026
David Faris, TheWeek, 24 Apr. 2026
Names like Allan Deberton, Rafhael Barbosa, Tiago Melo and Nara Normande have launched festival darlings and have exciting new projects in the pipeline.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
Arsenal enters the match as the favorite, but Sporting has been resilient in the Champions League, rebounding from a 3-0 loss to tournament darlings Bodo/Glimt with a 5-0 thrashing in Lisbon.
—Pueng Vongs, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
After delivering back-to-back Cannes darlings with the Camera d’Or winner Girl (2018) and Grand Prix-winning Close (2022), Dhont is returning to Cannes with his third feature and his first period piece.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
In between seasons, Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeney, and the rest of the cast have come to rule Hollywood, starring in blockbuster franchises, A24 and Neon film-festival darlings, and generating buzzy press cycles all on their own.
—The Editors, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2026
Among the standout pairings were country darlings Maddie & Tae, originally from Texas and Oklahoma, respectively.
—Amelia Edelman, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
Optical component makers are investors’ latest darlings.
—Ryan Vlastelica, Bloomberg, 2 Apr. 2026
Those making more bookish and insular styles of the genre, like the Magnetic Fields and Belle and Sebastian, weren’t being worshipped as critical darlings; in some cases their records hadn’t made it to America yet.
—David Glickman, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darlings
Noun
-
The Hawks now lead the series 2-1 and have become the favorites to win it.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Alongside its classic breakfast plates, Fuller’s serves favorites like Monte Cristos and double-decker chicken salad club sandwiches.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The pair were high school sweethearts who married in September 2024, according to a wedding registry.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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After the fatal crash, those who knew Lynnea and Luke, who were college sweethearts and small business owners, remembered the couple's legacy in their local community.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
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May these two sweeties never travel to Russia ever again.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For more advice on keeping your pets happy, healthy and safe through every season, visit USA TODAY Pets, your destination for expert advice, heartwarming stories and the latest news for animal lovers.—
Ronnie Li,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Some, like Chloe’s triad, are all lovers.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Darlings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darlings. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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