simple syrup

noun

: a sweetening agent made by melting granulated sugar in hot water

The drink developers decided they could add "dashes" of unsweetened, natural flavor, such as vanilla or hazelnut, and give customers the option to add or subtract pumps of simple syrup for more or less sweetness (each pump of syrup contains five grams of sugar).

—Julie Jargon

I just started making a Quarter Horse … . I found it on a cocktail app that I have called Highball, and it's made with bourbon, lime, simple syrup, ginger beer, and bitters.

—Anna Kendrick

Examples of simple syrup in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Honey Lavender Margarita 2 ounce blanco tequila 1 ounce lime juice 1 ounce honey lavender simple syrup 0.5 ounce crème de violette 0.5 ounce Alma Finca orange liqueur Shake with ice and serve in a rocks glass over fresh ice. —Gina Pace, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025

Storage note: The Earl Grey simple syrup can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2025

Four-Leaf Clover Old Fashioned ($15) – A St. Patrick’s Day spin on the classic old fashioned with Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon, simple syrup, Angostura Bitters and Peychaud’s Bitters. —Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 2 July 2025

Add 1 tablespoon of the simple syrup and pickle brine. —Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for simple syrup

• stirrup