adjective
saccharine
SAK-uh-rin
Saccharine (adjective) means Sentimental in an exaggerated, sickly way that feels insincere. Example: “The film ends on a saccharine note that undoes everything before it.”
adjective
1
Sentimental in an exaggerated, sickly way that feels insincere.
"The film ends on a saccharine note that undoes everything before it."
"She sent a saccharine card full of things she plainly did not mean."
2
Very sweet, or containing sugar.
"The dessert wine was almost undrinkably saccharine."
How to use saccharine
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSo sweet or soppy that it feels fake.
When to use it
Critical; common in reviews and cultural criticism.
Memory tip
The final syllable is usually said -rin, not -rine, despite the spelling.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
saccharine sentimentality
saccharine smile
saccharine ballad
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like saccharine.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The film ends on a _____ note that undoes everything before it.
Etymology
Via Latin saccharum from Greek sakkharon "sugar", ultimately from Sanskrit sarkara.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for saccharine
See all rhymes for saccharine →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between saccharine and saccharin?
Saccharin, with no final e, is a noun: the artificial sweetener used in tablets and diet drinks. Saccharine, with the e, is an adjective meaning sickly sweet or overly sentimental. The e turns the sweetener into a judgement.
Is saccharine always an insult?
Almost always. Even in the literal sense of very sweet it implies too much, and applied to writing, music or manners it means the sentiment is laid on so thickly that it stops being believable.
What is the meaning of saccharine?
"saccharine" (adjective) means sentimental in an exaggerated, sickly way that feels insincere.
What is another word for saccharine?
Other words for "saccharine" include cloying, mawkish, sickly, schmaltzy, twee, syrupy.
