syrup

noun

syr·​up ˈsər-əp  ˈsir-əp 

ˈsə-rəp

variants or less commonly sirup

1

a

: a thick sticky solution of sugar and water often flavored or medicated

b

: the concentrated juice of a fruit or plant

2

: cloying sweetness or sentimentality

syrupy

ˈsər-ə-pē  ˈsir-ə- 

ˈsə-rə-

adjective

Synonyms

• bathos
• gooeyness
• lovey-doveyness
• mawkishness
• mush
• mushiness
• saccharinity
• sappiness
• sentimentalism
• sentimentality
• sloppiness
• soppiness

Examples of syrup in a Sentence

ice cream and chocolate syrup

She poured syrup all over her pancakes.

Recent Examples on the Web

My uncle would grind the stalks to extract the sap and then boil it down in a huge iron pot to make molasses (many call it sorghum syrup). —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 24 May 2025

Viking's Chocolate Sundae: Features vanilla soft-serve with Hershey's chocolate syrup and black and green cookie crumbles. —Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 23 May 2025

La Sancha Paloma 2 oz Ghost Tequila 1 oz grapefruit juice .5 oz hibiscus syrup .25 oz lemon juice Splash of club soda Garnish: citrus sugar and lime wedge Measure and pour all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. —Claudia Alarcón, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025

Writing these recaps has felt like running a marathon at sprint pace while hydrating exclusively with sugar-free coconut syrup. —Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 18 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sirup, from Anglo-French sirop, from Medieval Latin syrupus, from Arabic sharāb

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing syrup

• corn syrup
• cough syrup
• golden syrup
• maple syrup
• simple syrup

Rhymes for syrup

• stirrup

Kids Definition

syrup

noun

syr·​up

variants or sirup

ˈsər-əp,

ˈsir-əp,

ˈsə-rəp

1

: a thick solution of sugar and water often containing a flavoring or a medicine

2

: the juice of a fruit or plant with some of the water removed

syrupy

-ē

adjective

Medical Definition

syrup

noun

syr·​up

variants also sirup

ˈsər-əp  ˈsir-əp 

: a thick sticky liquid consisting of a concentrated solution of sugar and water with or without the addition of a flavoring agent or medicinal substance

syrup of codeine

syrupy adjective

or sirupy

-ē