The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word GIRLFRIEND
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
G
I
R
L
F
R
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D
More clues leading to the result GIRLFRIEND
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Sweetheart" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case sweetheart = girlfriend.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does GIRLFRIEND mean?
GIRLFRIEND noun- A female partner in an unmarried romantic relationship.
- A female friend.