sweetheart
Americannoun
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sweethearts
plural
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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.
See Examples For:
Steven, now 35 and married to his high school sweetheart with a toddler, is a partner at Arena Capital, a small real-estate private-equity firm that invests in the Hudson Valley.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
Mum Linda said: "My sweetheart boy could never do no wrong, my life will never be the same with you not here. My heart will forever be broken."
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
“He was a top of the line up hitter with a humble attitude in the 3 years he played against him. Rest in Peace sweetheart and endless prayers for his family.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Born Mary Jo Campbell on July 26, 1934, MJ married her high school sweetheart, whom she divorced two months later.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
“Oh, sweetheart, you haven't messed up anything. You are perfect, so perfect, do you know that? I remember when you were born. The moment I saw you, that was my first thought: she’s perfect.”
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
People also meet their sweethearts in college or at jobs that require similar qualifications.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 14, 2026
"It's here that we still meet our sweethearts, that we swap our numbers scribbled on little bits of paper," says fisherman Paulin Agbokounou.
From Barron's ● Feb. 13, 2026
The couple have arguably earned respect by surviving various highs and lows in the public eye, which began with intense press scrutiny when they were childhood sweethearts.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2025
A family of country music sweethearts is adding another idol to the list.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 27, 2024
Everyone was surprised, because they had been childhood sweethearts, as the expression goes.
From "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel
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.
