sweet

adjective \ ˈswēt \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of sweet

1 a (1) : pleasing to the taste

(2) : being or inducing the one of the four basic taste sensations that is typically induced by disaccharides and is mediated especially by receptors in taste buds at the front of the tongue — compare bitter, salt, sour

b (1) of a beverage : containing a sweetening ingredient : not dry

(2) of wine : retaining a portion of natural sugar

2 a : pleasing to the mind or feelings : agreeable, gratifying —often used as a generalized term of approval

how sweet it is

b : marked by gentle good humor or kindliness

a sweet disposition

c : fragrant

a sweet aroma

d (1) : delicately pleasing to the ear or eye

a sweet melody

(2) : played in a straightforward melodic style

sweet jazz

e : saccharine, cloying

f : very good or appealing

a sweet job offer

a sweet sports car

3 : much loved : dear

4 a : not sour, rancid, decaying, or stale : wholesome

sweet milk

b : not salt or salted : fresh

sweet water

sweet butter

c : free from excessive acidity —used especially of soil

d : free from noxious gases and odors

e : free from excess of acid, sulfur, or corrosive salts

sweet crude oil

5 : skillful, proficient

a sweet golf swing

6 —used as an intensive

take your own sweet time

—

sweetly

adverb

—

sweetness

noun

— sweet on

: having a crush on

See sweet defined for English-language learners

See sweet defined for kids

Examples of sweet in a Sentence

She likes her coffee sweet.
That candy is too sweet.
He's a really sweet guy.
She has a sweet smile.
It was sweet of her to take care of them.

Recent Examples of sweet from the Web

Our favorites: ▪ That $8.99 extra-dry prosecco, a little sweeter but lemony, perfect for tossing in an Aperol spritz on a fall afternoon.

— kathleen purvis, charlotteobserver, "Should you get excited about Lidl’s wines?," 25 Aug. 2017
Also here is a sweet drawing of Ms. Ashoona, her grandmother, standing slightly askew in a polka-dot kerchief and Nana Mouskouri-style eyeglasses.

— jason farago and martha schwendener, New York Times, "What to See in New York Art Galleries This Week," 24 Aug. 2017
A post shared by 송다니 (@songdani) on Oct 26, 2016 at 10:35am PDT For an unexpected, subtle look, tie a skinny scarf in a sweet little bow and let the ends cascade down the side of your outfit. 5.

— kaitlin menza, Redbook, "11 Fun, Fresh Ways to Wear a Scarf," 22 Aug. 2017
By some reckonings, there were few places that should have been as sweet to watch a total solar eclipse than St. Joseph.

— rick montgomery, eric adler, scott canon, joe robertson, david frese, jason hancock, judy thomas, kansascity, "Whether soggy or sensational, total solar eclipse awes KC region," 21 Aug. 2017
Cloud cover threatens to reduce visibility in the central U.S., and threats of thunderstorms threaten the sweet views near Charleston, South Carolina.

— jen kirby, Daily Intelligencer, "A Procrastinator’s Guide to Catching the Solar Eclipse," 21 Aug. 2017
Doc Popcorn/Dippin' Dots brings sweet and savory together in Center Court across from Victoria's Secret.

— bob bong, Daily Southtown, "Durbins restaurant to call it quits in Summit," 15 Aug. 2017
Thanks to the fine folks at International Delight, your mornings are about to get a whole lot sweeter.

— meghan overdeep, Southern Living, "International Delight Just Released a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Creamer, And No You’re Not Dreaming," 8 Aug. 2017
At least dear, sweet Pod will make an appearance in one of those 50 minutes.

— matt miller, Esquire, "Here's Some Bad News About the Next Game of Thrones Episode," 4 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sweet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of sweet

Middle English swete, from Old English swēte; akin to Old High German suozi sweet, Latin suadēre to urge, suavis sweet, Greek hēdys

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

sweet Synonyms

sweet

adverb

Definition of sweet

: in a sweet manner

First Known Use of sweet

13th century

sweet

noun

Definition of sweet

1 : something that is sweet to the taste: such as

a : a food (such as a candy or preserve) having a high sugar content

fill up on sweets

b British : dessert

c British : hard candy

2 : a sweet taste sensation

3 : a pleasant or gratifying experience, possession, or state

4 : darling, sweetheart

5 a archaic : fragrance

b sweets plural, archaic : things having a sweet smell

See sweet defined for English-language learners

Examples of sweet in a Sentence

I'm trying to cut down on sweets.
remember to brush your teeth after eating sweets

Recent Examples of sweet from the Web

All three fit the bill: The Chocolate Love Cake with its almost cheesecake-like texture was delicious and not over-the-top sweet.

— marc bona, cleveland.com, "Vaccaro's Trattoria keeps focus on all things Italian - family, food, wine (review)," 12 Apr. 2018
Snacking on fruits and nuts was positively associated with diet quality — and snacking on veggies was associated with a lower body mass index (BMI); however, snacking on sweets was associated with a lower diet quality and a higher BMI.

— NBC News, "6 easy snack ideas that can help you reach your weight loss goals," 9 Apr. 2018
Lunch was a delicious combination of savories and sweets.

— ruth sowby rands, latimes.com, "On the Town: Spring is sprung with Garden Party Tea," 9 Apr. 2018
English afternoon tea with an assortment of quiches, tarts, sandwiches, and sweets.

— michelle jenkins, idahostatesman, "April showers us with fresh produce, jazz and laughs | Idaho Statesman," 31 Mar. 2018
People travel there specifically to shop around at their Magnolia Market at the Silos, taste Joanna's sweets from her Silos Baking Co, and stay at their vacation rental, Magnolia House.

— olivia harrison, refinery29.com, "Joanna & Chip Gaines' New Breakfast Restaurant Is Officially Open For Business," 27 Mar. 2018
The menu also includes breakfast sandwiches, biscuit and gravy plates and sweets like the Sin-A-Bun.

— carolina gusman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "76 local restaurants will be hoppin' with breakfast, lunch and dinner specials on Easter Sunday," 27 Mar. 2018
Everything from ceramics, glass and prints to handmade clothing, jewelry, soap and sweets will be on display Friday and Saturday at the fifth annual DOWNRIVER INDIE CRAFT FAIR.

— greg crawford, Detroit Free Press, "Plan your weekend: Dance Theatre of Harlem, Tracy Morgan, Downriver craft fair," 21 Mar. 2018
Margeaux Brasserie: An Easter egg hunt kicks things off, with prizes tucked in the eggs: candy, caramels and sweets by the chef as well as certificates for a room at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago and Margeaux Brasserie.

— grace wong, chicagotribune.com, "50-plus Easter brunch spots in Chicago and suburbs," 20 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of sweet

14th century

sweet Synonyms

Synonyms

beloved, darling, dear, flame, honey, love, squeeze [slang], sweetheart, sweetie, truelove;

gal, girl, girlfriend, ladylove, lass;

amour, lover, paramour;

date, escort, steady;

admirer, gallant, suitor, wooer;

groom, husband;

bride, wife;

fiancé, intended;

crush, heartthrob;

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

Sweet

biographical name \ ˈswēt \

Definition of Sweet

Henry 1845–1912 English phonetician

SWEET Defined for English Language Learners

sweet

adjective

Definition of sweet for English Language Learners

: containing a lot of sugar
: very gentle, kind, or friendly
: very pretty or cute

sweet

noun

Definition of sweet for English Language Learners

: a food that contains a lot of sugar : a sweet food
: a piece of candy
: a sweet food served at the end of a meal

SWEET Defined for Kids

sweet

adjective \ ˈswēt \

Definition of sweet for Students

sweeter; sweetest

1 : containing or tasting of sugar

sweet muffins

2 : having a pleasant sound, smell, or appearance

a sweet fragrance

sweet voices

3 : very gentle, kind, or friendly

a sweet personality

It was sweet of you to remember.

4 : pleasing to the mind or feelings : agreeable

sweet memories

5 : much loved : dear

my sweet child

6 : agreeable to oneself but not to others

You took your sweet time!

7 : not sour, stale, or spoiled

sweet milk

8 : not salt or salted

sweet butter

9 : having a mild taste : not sharp

sweet peppers

—

sweetly

adverb

—

sweetness

noun

— sweet on

: in love with

sweet

noun

Definition of sweet for Students

1 : something (as candy) that contains or tastes of sugar

2 : ¹darling 1, dear

Medical Dictionary

sweet

adjective \ ˈswēt \

medical Definition of sweet

: being or inducing the one of the four basic taste sensations that is typically induced by disaccharides and is mediated especially by receptors in taste buds at the front of the tongue — compare bitter, salt 2, sour

—