bittersweet

1 of 2

noun

bit·​ter·​sweet ˈbi-tər-ˌswēt How to pronounce bittersweet (audio)
1
: something that is bittersweet
especially : pleasure accompanied by suffering or regret
… the bittersweet of their long separation … Christopher Morley
2
botany
a
: a poisonous Eurasian woody vine (Solanum dulcamara) of the nightshade family that has purple flowers and oval reddish berries and is naturalized (see naturalize sense 4) in North America
b
: a North American poisonous woody vine (Celastrus scandens) of the staff-tree family having clusters of small greenish flowers succeeded by yellow capsules (see capsule entry 1 sense 2a) that open when ripe and disclose the scarlet aril

bittersweet

2 of 2

adjective

1
: being at once bitter and sweet
especially : pleasant but including or marked by elements of suffering or regret
a bittersweet ballad
bittersweet memories
2
: of or relating to a prepared chocolate containing little sugar
bittersweet chocolate chips
bittersweetly adverb
bittersweetness noun

Examples of bittersweet in a Sentence

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.
Noun
For him, the occasion is both a relief and bittersweet. David Chiu, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025 Cut or mow invasive plants, such as kudzu and Oriental bittersweet, as the first step of a two-part process (followed by a herbicide application on the regrowth in the fall). Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The other three outgoing cast members all made bittersweet social media posts about moving on from the show. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2025 After two years of holding onto the property following David’s death in 2023, the Holbrook family is ready, if bittersweet, to pass it along. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bittersweet

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bittersweet was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bittersweet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bittersweet. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

bittersweet

1 of 2 noun
bit·​ter·​sweet ˈbit-ər-ˌswēt How to pronounce bittersweet (audio)
1
: a poisonous woody vine of the nightshade family with purple flowers and oval reddish orange berries
2
: a North American woody vine with yellow seedcases that open when ripe to show the scarlet seed covers

bittersweet

2 of 2 adjective
: being both bitter and sweet
a bittersweet story

Medical Definition

bittersweet

noun
bit·​ter·​sweet ˈbit-ər-ˌswēt, ˌbit-ər-ˈ How to pronounce bittersweet (audio)
: a sprawling poisonous weedy nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) with purple flowers and oval reddish orange berries that is the source of dulcamara

More from Merriam-Webster on bittersweet

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!