sweeten

verb

sweet·​en ˈswē-tᵊn How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
sweetened; sweetening ˈswē-tᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
ˈswēt-niŋ
Synonyms of sweetennext

transitive verb

1
: to make sweet
2
: to soften the mood or attitude of
3
: to make less painful or trying
4
: to free from a harmful or undesirable quality or substance
especially : to remove sulfur compounds from
sweeten natural gas
5
: to make more valuable or attractive
sweeten the deal
: such as
a
: to increase (a pot not won on the previous deal) by anteing prior to another deal
b
: to place additional securities as collateral for (a loan)

intransitive verb

: to become sweet
sweetener
ˈswēt-nər
ˈswē-tᵊn-ər How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
noun

Examples of sweeten in a Sentence

He sweetened his cereal a little. He sweetened the deal with a large signing bonus.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The inclusion of fruits provides enough naturally occurring sugar to sweeten the taste. Sheah Rarback, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026 The studios were always going to have to sweeten any deal with the WGA in order to convince them that taking such a risk was worth it. Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026 Use this to sweeten cocktails and N/A versions. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Apr. 2026 The deals are further sweetened by gift inclusions. New Atlas, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sweeten

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sweeten was circa 1552

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Cite this Entry

“Sweeten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweeten. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

sweeten

verb
sweet·​en ˈswēt-ᵊn How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
sweetened; sweetening ˈswēt-niŋ How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to make or become sweet
sweetener
ˈswēt-nər How to pronounce sweeten (audio)
-ᵊn-ər
noun

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