icing

1 of 2

noun (1)

ic·​ing ˈī-siŋ 

1

: a sweet flavored usually creamy mixture used to coat baked goods (such as cupcakes)

called also frosting

2

: something that adds to the interest, value, or appeal of an item or event

—often used in the phrase icing on the cake

icing

2 of 2

noun (2)

: an illegal act by an ice hockey player of shooting a puck from within the defensive zone or defensive half of the rink beyond the opponents' goal line but not into the goal

Examples of icing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Towns flexing on Wembanyama was the icing on the cake. —Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 6 June 2026

The icing on the cake was getting to cap off everything at the state finals. —Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026

Also included in the coffee giant's summer menu, which launched on May 12, is the Unicorn Cake Pop, a vanilla cake shaped into a unicorn head mixed with confetti sprinkles and dipped in white chocolate icing. —Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026

Instead, a cake decorator played double duty, translating their icing skills for the detailed trim and molding throughout the Edwardian-style space. —Allison Duncan, Architectural Digest, 3 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1948, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing icing

• anti-icing
• icing on the cake
• icing sugar
• royal icing

Rhymes for icing

• deicing
• dicing
• pricing
• slicing
• splicing
• enticing
• sufficing
• sacrificing
• satisficing

Kids Definition

icing

1 of 2 noun

ic·​ing ˈī-siŋ 

1

: a sweet coating for baked goods (as cakes)

called also frosting

2

: something that adds to the interest, value, or appeal of an item or event

—often used in the phrase icing on the cake

icing

2 of 2 noun

: the shooting of a hockey puck the length of the rink and beyond the opponent's goal line