sweet
sweet
Sweet (adj) means having the taste of sugar; not sour, salty, or bitter. Example: “This tea is too sweet for me, so I will not add sugar.”
adj
1
Having the taste of sugar; not sour, salty, or bitter.
"This tea is too sweet for me, so I will not add sugar."
"The strawberries were perfectly ripe and sweet."
"He added honey to make the tea sweeter."
2
Kind, gentle, and pleasant in nature.
"The little boy gave a sweet smile and offered me his last biscuit."
"What a sweet dog, so calm and friendly with the children!"
"It was sweet of her to check in on her elderly neighbor."
noun
1
A small piece of confectionery; candy.
"Grandad always keeps a sweet in his pocket for the grandchildren."
"I chose a sour sweet from the jar at the corner shop."
"The children shared a bag of sweets after the party."
intj
1
Used informally to express approval or delight about good news.
""Dinner is ready early tonight." "Sweet, I'm starving!" said the boy."
""We got the tickets." "Sweet!""
""They said we can finish early today." "Sweet!" he cheered happily."
How to use sweet
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTasting like sugar, or describing a kind, likeable person; also used casually to mean "great."
Easily confused with
Common pairings
sweet tooth
sweet taste
how sweet of you
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Word forms
- Plural
- sweets
- Third person singular
- sweets
- Past tense
- sweeted
- Comparative
- sweeter, more sweet
- Superlative
- sweetest, most sweet
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
This tea is too _____ for me, so I will not add sugar.
Etymology
From Old English swēte, going back through Proto-Germanic to a very old Indo-European root for "sweet," shared with words in Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit.
Synonyms
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sugary
sugared
honeyed
sweetened
saccharine
candied
syrupy
confection
afters
sugariness
dessert
sweetness
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for sweet
See all rhymes for sweet →Frequently asked questions
What does “sweet” mean?
The word “sweet” means having the taste of sugar; not sour, salty, or bitter. In plain terms, tasting like sugar, or describing a kind, likeable person; also used casually to mean "great.".
How do you pronounce “sweet”?
“Sweet” is pronounced sweet (/swit/ in IPA).
How do you use “sweet” in a sentence?
Here is “sweet” used in a sentence: “The strawberries were perfectly ripe and sweet.”
What is another word for “sweet”?
Words with a similar meaning to “sweet” include nectareal, nectarean, nectarous, nectarine, sappy and sweetsome.
What is the opposite of “sweet”?
The opposite of “sweet” — its antonyms — are bitter, sour, salty, nonsweet and sugarless.
What part of speech is “sweet”?
Depending on how it is used, “sweet” can be an adjective, a noun and an intj.
Where does the word “sweet” come from?
The word “sweet” comes from Latin. From Old English swēte, going back through Proto-Germanic to a very old Indo-European root for "sweet," shared with words in Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit.
Is “sweet” a common word?
“Sweet” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the opposite of sweet?
In terms of taste, the main opposites of sweet are sour and bitter, with salty also standing in contrast. Sweetness comes from sugars, while sourness comes from acids and bitterness from compounds like those in coffee or dark chocolate. Unsweetened or savory foods are commonly described as "not sweet."
What is the difference between sweet and savory?
Sweet describes the sugary taste of foods like fruit, honey, and desserts. Savory describes salty, rich, or umami flavors — think roast meat, cheese, or broth — without noticeable sweetness. Many cuisines balance the two, and some dishes are deliberately sweet-and-savory, combining sugar with salt or spice.
What are the five basic tastes?
The tongue detects five basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (savory). Sweet signals sugars and quick energy, which is why humans are naturally drawn to it from birth. These tastes combine with aroma, texture, and temperature to create the full flavor of anything we eat.
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