sweetheart
Americannoun
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either of a pair of lovers in relation to the other.
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(sometimes initial capital letter) an affectionate or familiar term of address.
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a beloved person.
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Informal. a generous, friendly person.
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Informal. anything that arouses loyal affection.
My old car was a real sweetheart.
noun
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a person loved by another
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informal a lovable, generous, or obliging person
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a term of endearment for a beloved or lovable person
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of sweetheart
First recorded in 1250–1300, sweetheart is from Middle English swete herte. See sweet, heart
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Going back to that game in New Jersey last week, Aston Villa captain and Tartan Army sweetheart John McGinn was the one to start on the bench.
From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026
Grande was previously married to real estate agent Dalton Gomez, while Slater had been married to psychologist Lilly Jay, his high-school sweetheart with whom he shares a child.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
"I'd marry him again if I could, he's still my sweetheart," she told The Guardian in 2022.
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
She had entered college with dreams of becoming a lawyer, but had set aside that vision to marry her high-school sweetheart and raise children.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
“Oh, sweetheart, nothing is more important to me than you. Nothing. And can I say something? I’m really sorry your dad doesn't know you now. Because if he did, I’m sure he’d be very proud.”
From "Maybe He Just Likes You" by Barbara Dee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
