sweeten

verb

sweet·​en ˈswē-tᵊn How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
sweetened; sweetening ˈswē-tᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
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 How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cooks use honey to sweeten and moisten baked goods, mellow vinaigrettes, and balance sweet-and-sour sauces. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2025 These are sweetened with applesauce and bound together with almond butter (peanut butter also works). Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Nov. 2025 Sour cream dressing Tracing back to Central and Eastern Europe, sour cream dressing is thinned with lemon juice or vinegar, brightened with Dijon mustard and sometimes sweetened with sugar and paprika for dressings that shine on potato or egg salads. Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025 And with that final splash of song, Carpenter left her crowd jittery, glittery and totally sweetened. Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sweeten

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sweeten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweeten. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

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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