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
American Bittersweet An adaptable, fast-growing woody vine, American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) will quickly cover a fence or arbor. Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 June 2025 Is any part of this a little bittersweet since Pat Morita isn’t here to see it? Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 31 May 2025
Adjective
The 2025 San Diego County Fair in Del Mar concluded its month-long run Sunday, a bittersweet reminder to San Diegans that summer’s end is inching nearer. Olivia Petty, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2025 In a bittersweet Instagram post the day before the performance, Goldsberry shared a carousel of behind-the-scenes photos with her castmates. Siena Kessler, People.com, 4 July 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 11 Jul. 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!