sweeten

verb

sweet·​en ˈswē-tᵊn How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
sweetened; sweetening ˈswēt-niŋ How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
ˈswē-tᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

1
: to make sweet
2
: to soften the mood or attitude of
3
: to make less painful or trying
4
: to free from a harmful or undesirable quality or substance
especially : to remove sulfur compounds from
sweeten natural gas
5
: to make more valuable or attractive
sweeten the deal
: such as
a
: to increase (a pot not won on the previous deal) by anteing prior to another deal
b
: to place additional securities as collateral for (a loan)

intransitive verb

: to become sweet
sweetener
ˈswēt-nər How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
ˈswē-tᵊn-ər
noun

Examples of sweeten in a Sentence

He sweetened his cereal a little. He sweetened the deal with a large signing bonus.
Recent Examples on the Web In four back-to-back votes, overwhelming bipartisan coalitions of lawmakers approved fresh rounds of funding for the three U.S. allies, as well as another bill meant to sweeten the deal for conservatives that could result in a nationwide ban of TikTok. Catie Edmondson, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024 Your energy provider may sweeten this deal with a rebate. Louryn Strampe, WIRED, 19 Apr. 2024 To combat high mortgage rates and home prices, builders have sweetened incentives to entice prospective buyers to actually make a move. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024 To sweeten the deal, the pair will be joined on the road by Shygirl. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2024 It is sweetened with a small amount of coconut sugar (only two grams of sugar per serving) as well as monk fruit for a subtly sweet taste. Alexandra Paetow Ms Rdn, Parents, 15 Apr. 2024 The fragrance, which is infused with essential oils, is crafted with notes of crisp air, fresh laundry, and sweetened floral undertones. Emily Weaver, Peoplemag, 8 Apr. 2024 Beverages like sodas and sweetened coffees, as well as sweet snacks, breakfast bars, and condiments, tend tend to be where most sugar comes from. Jessie Shafer, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2024 Made with chilled black tea, this drink is sweetened with a pineapple simple syrup made from fresh pineapple juice and spiked with a splash of vodka. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sweeten.' 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

circa 1552, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sweeten was circa 1552

Dictionary Entries Near sweeten

Cite this Entry

“Sweeten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweeten. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

sweeten

verb
sweet·​en ˈswēt-ᵊn How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
sweetened; sweetening ˈswēt-niŋ How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to make or become sweet
sweetener
ˈswēt-nər How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
-ᵊn-ər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sweeten

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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