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verb

sweeten

SWEE-tuhn

Sweeten (verb) means to make something taste sweeter, usually by adding sugar or another sweetener. Example: “She sweetened her coffee with a spoonful of sugar.”

verb
1
To make something taste sweeter, usually by adding sugar or another sweetener.
"She sweetened her coffee with a spoonful of sugar."
2
To make an offer or deal more appealing.
"The company sweetened the deal by throwing in free shipping."

How to use sweeten

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo add sugar (or similar) to something, or to make a deal or offer more attractive.

Common pairings
sweeten the deal sweeten the pot sweeten your coffee

Word forms

sweetened past tense, Sweetens plural, sweetens singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She _____ her coffee with a spoonful of sugar.

Etymology

From "sweet" plus the "-en" verb-forming ending.

Related words

Rhymes for sweeten

See all rhymes for sweeten →

Frequently asked questions

What does “sweeten” mean?

The word “sweeten” means to make something taste sweeter, usually by adding sugar or another sweetener. In plain terms, to add sugar (or similar) to something, or to make a deal or offer more attractive.

How do you pronounce “sweeten”?

“Sweeten” is pronounced SWEE-tuhn (/ˈswiːtən/ in IPA).

How do you use “sweeten” in a sentence?

Here is “sweeten” used in a sentence: “She sweetened her coffee with a spoonful of sugar.”

What is the opposite of “sweeten”?

The opposite of “sweeten” — its antonyms — is sour.

What part of speech is “sweeten”?

“Sweeten” is a verb.

How many meanings does “sweeten” have?

“Sweeten” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make something taste sweeter, usually by adding sugar or another sweetener.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial