icing

1 of 2

noun (1)

ic·​ing ˈī-siŋ How to pronounce icing (audio)
1
: a sweet flavored usually creamy mixture used to coat baked goods (such as cupcakes)

called also frosting

2
: something that adds to the interest, value, or appeal of an item or event
often used in the phrase icing on the cake

icing

2 of 2

noun (2)

: an illegal act by an ice hockey player of shooting a puck from within the defensive zone or defensive half of the rink beyond the opponents' goal line but not into the goal

Examples of icing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Instead, Mexico put the icing on the cake with a brilliant goal in the final moments of the match, as Pelayo-Bernal launched a long-range effort into the top corner of the net. Ben Church, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024 The couple chose a three-tier vanilla and chocolate wedding cake topped with fresh strawberries and cream cheese icing. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 26 Feb. 2024 Food-safe dyes adhere to it easily, and are in fact amplified by the icing’s bright white undertones from the powdered sugar. Zoey Poll Katja Mayer, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2024 The icing on the cake here is the key change coming out of Felder’s solo. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 19 Jan. 2024 But this new menu item is dipped in a milk chocolate icing and drizzled with extra chocolate. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024 Thick and luscious cream cheese frosting recipes and buttercream frostings or thinner icings and glazes all have their ideal uses as a topping for your desserts. Sheena Chihak, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2024 One of those was the icing on the birthday cake dunk to bring the house down. Scott Springer, The Enquirer, 28 Jan. 2024 And the icing on the cake was that the Blue Jays walloped Centennial Conference rival Washington College, 88-47, at Goldfarb Gymnasium for the team’s ninth straight victory. Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 27 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'icing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of icing was circa 1740

Dictionary Entries Near icing

Cite this Entry

“Icing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/icing. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

icing

1 of 2 noun
ic·​ing ˈī-siŋ How to pronounce icing (audio)
1
: a sweet coating for baked goods (as cakes)

called also frosting

2
: something that adds to the interest, value, or appeal of an item or event
often used in the phrase icing on the cake

icing

2 of 2 noun
: the shooting of a hockey puck the length of the rink and beyond the opponent's goal line

More from Merriam-Webster on icing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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