sweet spot

noun

plural sweet spots

1

sports : the area around the center of mass of a bat, a racket, or the head of a club that is the most effective part with which to hit a ball

If the bat connects near its sweet spot … it vibrates very little, much as a tennis racket feels solid if you hit the ball on the racket's sweet spot.

—Sharon Begley

The shape of the clubhead has a pronounced effect on [golf] shots that are not hit out of the sweet spot of the club …

—Steen Winther

2

: an ideal or most favorable location, level, area, or combination of factors for a particular activity or purpose

We are in that sweet spot of December in which you're (hopefully) full of the holiday spirit but without the stress of having to spend every waking moment with your family.

—Katie Yee

To seafood men, Fulton is the jewel of the Atlantic coast, the sweet spot on the seaboard, and the best fish from Maine to Florida rolls into the markets in refrigerated trucks.

—Jonathan Gold

"We are considering a lot of options with the site," says Zach Nelson, executive vice president of marketing. "I think we are right in the sweet spot of what's required to make e-business happen."

—Daniel Roth

The winery in Rutherford, best known for its loamy Cabernet Sauvignon, has a sweet spot of 8 acres for Chardonnay, which has produced spectacular wines.

—James Laube

Examples of sweet spot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For buyers who simply want an affordable EV that drives well, charges quickly, fits into normal life, and doesn't require six figures of disposable income, the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt hits a sweet spot few competitors manage. — New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2026

Lynch said the timetable for a return from PCL surgery is six to 12 months and that the sweet spot might be nine months. — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026

As a 21-year teaching veteran hailing from a family full of educators, Rich has found her sweet spot in the second grade. — La'tasha Givens, CBS News, 31 July 2026

Recruiting practices continue to focus disproportionately on a mythical hiring sweet spot, overlooking capable people whose age, experience or career stage falls outside traditional expectations. — Sheila Callaham, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for sweet spot

• allot
• barat
• begot
• besought
• bethought
• bloodshot
• boycott
• buckshot
• crackpot
• croat
• culottes
• dashpot