sweet

play

adjective \ ˈswēt \

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

Synonyms

beloved, cherished, dear, fair-haired, favored, favorite, fond, loved, pet, precious, special, darling, white-headed

Antonyms

unbeloved

Related Words

admired, adored, appreciated, esteemed, relished, revered; prized, treasured; preferred

Near Antonyms

abhorred, abominated, despised, detested, disdained, disfavored, disliked, execrated, hated, loathed, unfavorite; abandoned, forgotten, ignored; alienated, estranged

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

Summer, like youth, is fleeting, but these sweets are forever Whether it’s dished up from a vintage truck or the star of a destination restaurant, soft-serve ice cream speaks of summer.

— Los Angeles Magazine, "Your Life Is Incomplete Until You Taste the Heavenly Swirls of LA’s 4 Essential Soft-Serve Ice Cream Shops," 3 Aug. 2017
Sweets are thrust into the mouths of exultant opposition politicians as the cameras look on.

— omar waraich, The Atlantic, "The Corruption Conundrum in Pakistan's Democracy," 28 July 2017
Pressing the right key moved the drum on, yielding sweets for smarty-pants.

— The Economist, "EdtechTechnology is transforming what happens when a child goes to school," 22 July 2017
And the superhero sweets are flying off the shelves just like their namesakes.

— debbi baker, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Superhero doughnuts fly off the shelves at downtown Donut Bar," 21 July 2017
A crew of 25 prep cooks begins working six weeks prior to the event on 20 different appetizers and tasty sweets.

— karen horgan kuhlman, Cincinnati.com, "Column: Hats off to 30 years of CaSSba," 18 July 2017
Upon first steps into the Lunt-Fontane Theater, audience members get transported into the world of Willy Wonka where they are greeted by the smells of sweets, outrageous colors, and most importantly… CANDY.

— dan shinaberry, Teen Vogue, "Dylan Lauren Interview: Dylan’s Candy Bar x Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," 11 July 2017
Latif said often sweets and money are given to the kids as a gift.

— yadira sanchez olson, chicagotribune.com, "Local Muslims celebrate end of Ramadan," 26 June 2017
At the Priester's retail store in Fort Deposit, visitors can watch as the company's famous sweets are made in the viewing area as well as try samples of some of their most popular products.

— AL.com, "14 things you might not know about Priester's Pecans," 22 June 2017

First Known Use of sweet

14th century

sweet Synonyms

Synonyms

confection, sweetmeat

Related Words

confectionary, confectionery, sweeties [British]; afters [British], candy, dessert, entremets, pastry

Other Food Terms

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

Sweet

play

biographical name \ ˈswēt \

Definition of Sweet

Henry 1845–1912 English phonetician

SWEET Defined for English Language Learners

sweet

play

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

play

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

play

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

—

sweetness

noun

sweet

noun

medical Definition of sweet

1 :something that is sweet to the taste; especially :a food (as a candy or preserve) having a high sugar content

don't fill up on sweets

2 :a sweet taste sensation

Learn More about sweet

See words that rhyme with sweet Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sweet Spanish Central: Translation of sweet Nglish: Translation of sweet for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of sweet for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sweet

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sweet

Definition of sweet

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sweet

Definition of sweet

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sweet Synonyms

Synonyms

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Sweet

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SWEET Defined for English Language Learners

sweet

Definition of sweet for English Language Learners

sweet

Definition of sweet for English Language Learners

SWEET Defined for Kids

sweet

Definition of sweet for Students

sweetly

sweetness

sweet

Definition of sweet for Students

Medical Dictionary

sweet

medical Definition of sweet

sweetness

sweet

medical Definition of sweet

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