sweetness and light

noun

1

: a harmonious combination of beauty and enlightenment viewed as a hallmark of culture

2

a

: amiable reasonableness of disposition

they were all sweetness and light

b

: an untroubled or harmonious state or condition

but all was not sweetness and light

Examples of sweetness and light in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This is not to say that Howe has a free pass from the club, or that everything is sweetness and light. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026

The grain whisky component adds silky sweetness and light caramel notes, maintaining the whiskey's balanced, approachable character. — Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 25 Mar. 2026

Certainly, there is not the faintest whiff of a waft of a suggestion that Novak was anything other than delightful to work with, the very incarnation of sweetness and light herself. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2025

Unfortunately, no matter how much her hemline communicated sweetness and light, Ryder was still found guilty and sentenced to 480 hours of community service, a $3,700 fine and 36 months of probation. — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 22 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sweetness and light

• actinolite
• adipocyte
• amphibolite
• anorthosite
• anthophyllite
• aragonite
• carbonatite
• cassiterite
• chalcopyrite
• cristobalite
• crocidolite
• diatomite