sweeten

verb

sweet·​en ˈswē-tᵊn 

sweetened; sweetening ˈswē-tᵊn-iŋ 

ˈswēt-niŋ

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

ˈswē-tᵊn-ər 

noun

Synonyms

• candy
• enhance
• improve
• spruce

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

Kawakami posed a trade package that could pique the Bengals interest with several tiers that only sweeten the deal for Cincinnati provided Hendrickson hits certain thresholds. —Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025

Buffalo Trace rye whiskey sweetened with root beer syrup gains depth and a touch of medicinal spice from star anise, making for a playful soda fountain take on the classic. —Nathanael Gassett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025

Cracker Barrel is sweetening the deal for loyalty members, who will be able to take part in the $5 deal starting a full day early on September 25. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2025

Inside, luxe features like heated floors sweeten the deal. —Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 20 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing sweeten

• pre-sweeten
• sugar/sweeten the pill
• sweeten up

Rhymes for sweeten

• beaten
• cretin
• eaten
• teton
• wheaten
• phenacetin
• sisseton
• unbeaten
• uneaten
• wahpeton

Kids Definition

sweeten

verb

sweet·​en ˈswēt-ᵊn 

sweetened; sweetening ˈswēt-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

: to make or become sweet

sweetener

ˈswēt-nər 

-ᵊn-ər

noun