1
a
: 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
b(1)
of a beverage
: containing a sweetening ingredient : not dry
(2)
of wine
: retaining a portion of natural sugar
2
a
: pleasing to the mind or feelings : agreeable, gratifying
—often used as a generalized term of approval
how 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
f
: very good or appealing
a sweet job offer
a sweet sports car
3
: much loved : dear
4
5
: skillful, proficient
a sweet golf swing
6
—used as an intensive
take your own sweet time
sweetly
adverb
sweetness
noun
: in a sweet manner
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
b
British
: dessert
c
British
: hard candy
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
5
a
archaic
: fragrance
b
sweets plural, archaic
: things having a sweet smell
Synonyms
Examples of sweet in a Sentence
Adjective
She likes her coffee sweet.
That candy is too sweet.
He's a really sweet guy.
She has a sweet smile.
It was sweet of her to take care of them.
Noun
I'm trying to cut down on sweets.
remember to brush your teeth after eating sweets
Recent Examples on the Web
Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
The electric thrill of Sichuan pepper works well in sweet dishes, too.
—Megan Zhang, Saveur, 13 Nov. 2024
Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2022
African American Sports and Entertainment Group spend the past year sweet-talking the WNBA about putting a new team in Oakland?
—Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Oct. 2021
Sam Tupper, CNN, 4 Nov. 2024
The festival’s first day is dedicated to crows, with offerings of grain, seeds and sweets scattered on rooftops and streets.
—Peter Guo, NBC News, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sweet 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Of course, anyone with a low tolerance for sugary sweet, sometimes sticky sentimentality would want to suck on a pack of lemons afterwards.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
The electric thrill of Sichuan pepper works well in sweet dishes, too.
—Megan Zhang, Saveur, 13 Nov. 2024
Adverb
As the Moon in your 7th House of Partnerships trines sweet-talking Venus in your 3rd House of Discussion, telling your story could convince other people who have a stake in the situation to help you.
—Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2022
African American Sports and Entertainment Group spend the past year sweet-talking the WNBA about putting a new team in Oakland?
—Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Oct. 2021
Noun
When the rationing of sugar and sweets ended in September 1953, the average adult’s daily sugar consumption in the UK nearly doubled almost immediately, from about 40 grams to 80 grams.
—Sam Tupper, CNN, 4 Nov. 2024
The festival’s first day is dedicated to crows, with offerings of grain, seeds and sweets scattered on rooftops and streets.
—Peter Guo, NBC News, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sweet
Dictionary Entries Near sweet
Cite this Entry
“Sweet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweet. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sweet
1 of 3 adjective1
a
: pleasing to the taste
b
: being or causing the one of the four basic taste sensations that is caused especially by table sugar and is identified especially by the taste buds at the front of the tongue compare bitter sense 1, salt entry 3 sense 1b, sour entry 1 sense 1
c
: having a relatively large sugar content
sweet wine
2
3
: much loved : dear
4
a
: not sour, stale, or spoiled
sweet milk
b
: not salt or salted : fresh
sweet butter
c
: not having too much acid
sweet soil
d
: free from foul gases and odors
5
—used as an intensive
take your own sweet time
sweetish
adjective
-ish
sweetly
adverb
sweetness
noun
sweet
2 of 3 adverb
: in a sweet way
sweet
3 of 3 noun1
a
: a food (as a candy) having a high sugar content
b
British
: dessert
2
: a sweet taste sensation
3
: a pleasant or agreeable experience, possession, or state
Medical Definition
sweet
1 of 2 adjective
: being or inducing the one of the four basic taste sensations that is typically induced by disaccharides and is mediated especially by receptors in taste buds at the front of the tongue compare bitter, salt entry 2 sense 2, sour entry 1
sweetness
noun
sweet
2 of 2 noun1
: something that is sweet to the taste
especially
: a food (as a candy or preserve) having a high sugar content
don't fill up on sweets
2
: a sweet taste sensation
Biographical Definition
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