sweetheart
Upper-Intermediate (B2)
IPA: //ˈswiːthɑːrt//
KK: /ˈswitˌhɑrt/
adjective
Definition
Referring to a deal or agreement that is unfairly beneficial to a particular person or group, often at the expense of others.
Example
The company was criticized for making a sweetheart deal with the local government.
Conversation
Did you hear about that new project at work?
Yeah, I heard it's a bit of a sweetheart deal for the managers.
Exactly! It doesn't seem fair to the rest of us.
I know, right? It feels like they're just looking out for themselves.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
favorable
privileged
beneficial
Antonyms
unfavorable
disadvantageous
harmful
noun
Definition
A person who is loved or cherished, often used as a term of endearment.
Example
She called him her sweetheart during the romantic dinner.
Conversation
I was talking to Jamie, and she called me her sweetheart again.
That's so cute! She really cares about you.
Yeah, it makes me feel special when she says that.
Root Explanation
Sweetheart → It is formed from "sweet" (from Old English "swete", meaning pleasing to the taste or mind) and "heart" (from Old English "heorte", meaning the organ that pumps blood or metaphorically, the center of emotion). The word "sweetheart" refers to a person who is dear to someone, often in a romantic context, combining the ideas of sweetness and emotional depth.
Memory Tip
Think of someone who is 'sweet' and has a 'heart' full of love — that's why we call them a sweetheart.
Visually Confused Words
No commonly confused words.