Definition of sweet
(Entry 1 of 4)
1a : being, inducing, or marked by the one of the five basic taste sensations that is usually pleasing to the taste and typically induced by sugars (as sucrose or glucose) — compare bitter entry 1 sense 1a, salty entry 1 sense 1b, sour entry 1 sense 1, umami entry 2
(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 approvalhow 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 intensivetake your own sweet time
sweet on
: having a crush on
sweet
adverbDefinition of sweet (Entry 2 of 4)
: in a sweet manner
sweet
nounDefinition 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
2 : the pleasant taste sensation typically produced by sugars (such as sucrose or glucose) — compare bitter entry 2 sense 1b, salty entry 2, sour entry 2 sense 1b, umami entry 1
3 : a pleasant or gratifying experience, possession, or state
4 : darling, sweetheart
b sweets plural, archaic : things having a sweet smell
Sweet
biographical nameDefinition of Sweet (Entry 4 of 4)
Henry 1845–1912 English phonetician
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
Words of Snow and Ice Quiz
- Which of the following refers to thin, bending ice, or to the act of running over such ice?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Anagram puzzles meet word search.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Words of Snow and Ice Quiz
A selection of words from the chillier parts of t...
Take the quizName that Thing: Toys and Games Edition
It's all fun and games until someone beats your h...
Take the quizTrue or False?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something a...
Take the quizSCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!
Play the game
Share sweet
Time Traveler for sweet
The first known use of sweet was before the 12th century
See more words from the same century