sweet

adjective

\ˈswēt

Definition of sweet

(Entry 1 of 4)

1a(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

2a : 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

4a : 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

sweet on

: having a crush on

sweet

adverb

Definition of sweet (Entry 2 of 4)

: in a sweet manner

sweet

noun

Definition of sweet (Entry 3 of 4)

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

5a archaic : fragrance

b sweets plural, archaic : things having a sweet smell

Sweet

biographical name

\ˈswēt

Definition of Sweet (Entry 4 of 4)

Henry 1845–1912 English phonetician

Other Words from sweet Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about sweet

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Examples of sweet in a Sentence

Adjective

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.

Noun

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Scoops start at $4 and can be topped with a variety of extra sweets, from whipped cream to Reese’s Pieces. — Gwen Ashley Walters, azcentral, "Edible cookie dough: Where in metro Phoenix to buy dough that's safe to eat," 13 July 2018 There are also sweets: cinnamon rolls, muffins, pie, cookies and some light lunch options such as a gluten-free frittata and a chicken salad croissant. — Jennie Key, Cincinnati.com, "Lots of options: West Siders have eat-out options and more are coming," 13 July 2018 Naturally that includes plenty of sweets, often ones that look best with some kind of bright, colorful frosting. — Audrey Bruno, SELF, "How to Make Your Own Food Coloring," 4 July 2018 Pastry chef Marika Esteves-Smith creates sweets ($6 to $8) like tiramisu, cannoli Florentine, flourless chocolate cake, cheesecake and zeppole, or Italian doughnuts. — Leeanne Griffin, courant.com, "River: An Italian-Inspired, Waterfront Restaurant With An Unrivaled View," 18 June 2018 On Saturday, Martinez cheered on runners and set up a buffet of sweets, breakfast burritos with homemade salsa, as well as fruits and vegetables, and drinks for runners. — Gloria Casas, Elgin Courier-News, "'It's a real community event': Hundreds participate in Elgin Valley Fox Trot," 26 May 2018 Caramelized Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream Paleo people need sweets too! — Elizabeth Stark, Cosmopolitan, "16 Ice Cream and Sorbet Recipes You Can Make Without an Ice Cream Maker," 17 July 2014 One mom sells prepared food on a street corner; another sells sweets at a school playground. — Ronnie Polaneczky, Philly.com, "Four Cameroonian teens are 'almost inconsolable' after being denied access to Philly basketball camp | Ronnie Polaneczky," 11 July 2018 Signature fare: special coffees, herbal teas, a selection of organic snacks (including a corps of avocado toast options) and few decadent sweets. — Andrew Ferren, WSJ, "How to Spend an Indulgent Day in Madrid for $2,400—or $400," 13 June 2018

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.

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Dictionary Entries near sweet

Phrases Related to sweet

be sweet on

boiled sweet

home sweet home

in one's (own) sweet time

take one's (own) sweet time

Statistics for sweet

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Time Traveler for sweet

The first known use of sweet was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for sweet

sweet

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of sweet

(Entry 1 of 2)

: containing a lot of sugar

: very gentle, kind, or friendly

: very pretty or cute

sweet

noun

English Language Learners Definition of sweet (Entry 2 of 2)

: 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

See the full definition for sweet in the English Language Learners Dictionary

sweet

adjective

\ˈswēt

sweeter; sweetest

Kids Definition of sweet

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

sweet on

: in love with

sweet

noun

Kids Definition of sweet (Entry 2 of 2)

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

2 : darling entry 1 sense 1, dear

sweet

adjective

\ˈswēt

Medical Definition of sweet

(Entry 1 of 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 sense 2, sour