sweet
sweet — adjective
1. having the flavour of sugar or honey, rather than sour, salty, or bitter.
having the flavour of sugar or honey, rather than sour, salty, or bitter.
Tunde added extra sugar to his coffee because he liked it sweet.
it + adjective (object complement)
The mangoes from Bao village were so sweet that he ate three in a row.
so + adjective + that-clause
This lemon cake is less sweet than the chocolate one.
comparative: less + adjective + than
Mizuki prefers sweet breakfast foods like honey on warm toast.
A bowl of sweet red strawberries made the perfect afternoon snack.
- sweet taste
- sweet flavour
- sweet tooth
- sweet and sour
Usage Note
The opposite is sour (for fruit), bitter (for chocolate or coffee), or savoury (for non-sweet dishes).
Common Mistakes
2. giving you a good, happy feeling; enjoyable and emotionally satisfying.
giving you a good, happy feeling; enjoyable and emotionally satisfying.
For Faisal, the sweetest moment of the trip was watching the sunrise.
superlative: the sweetest moment
The team tasted the sweet joy of victory after months of hard practice.
collocation: sweet joy of [abstract noun]
Salma said goodbye, but the sweet memory of their time together stayed with her.
There is something sweet about returning home to a warm house in winter.
there is something sweet about + gerund
- sweet victory
- sweet success
- sweet memory
- sweet moment
- pleasant
similar meaning but less emotional intensity
- gratifying
more formal; stresses fulfilment of a desire
- bitter
especially in 'bitter-sweet' contrast
- unpleasant
general opposite
Usage Note
Common in fixed expressions like 'sweet taste of success' (the good feeling from achieving something) and 'sweet victory' (a win that feels especially satisfying).
3. producing a soft, clear, and pleasing sound, especially a musical one.
producing a soft, clear, and pleasing sound, especially a musical one.
The sweet sound of a violin drifted through the open window.
collocation: sweet sound of [instrument]
Élise heard her baby's soft laughter from the next room and smiled.
Christopher found the gentle sweet melody of the flute very relaxing.
Nothing is as sweet as the sound of rain on the roof at night.
as + adjective + as (equative comparison)
- sweet voice
- sweet sound
- sweet melody
- sweet music
Usage Note
Often used for voices, musical instruments, and natural sounds such as birdsong. The opposite for sound is harsh or grating.
4. looking pleasant and gentle in a way that makes you feel fond, often because of
looking pleasant and gentle in a way that makes you feel fond, often because of being small or delicate.
The cafe had a sweet little garden with yellow flowers and old wooden tables.
sweet little [noun] — common collocation for small things
Felix gave his grandmother a sweet smile when she handed him a gift.
Paloma bought a sweet ceramic cat at the market to put on her desk.
The kitten's sweet face made everyone in the room want to hold it.
- sweet little
- sweet face
- sweet smile
- sweet baby
- ugly
plain opposite for appearance
- unattractive
gentler opposite
Usage Note
Used mainly for things, animals, or children that are endearing because of their small size or innocent appearance. For adults, can imply a gentle appearance but may sound patronising.
5. having a gentle, caring nature and showing thoughtfulness towards other people.
having a gentle, caring nature and showing thoughtfulness towards other people.
It was sweet of Min to bring soup to her neighbour who was unwell.
it + be + sweet of + person + to-infinitive
Emily's sweet nature made her a favourite among the children at school.
The old man had a sweet way of talking that put everyone at ease.
Aunt Rosa is one of the sweetest people I know she never forgets a birthday.
one of the sweetest [plural noun]
- sweet of you
- sweet nature
- sweet person
- sweet disposition
- kind
broader in meaning; sweet adds a sense of warmth and gentleness
- gentle
emphasises softness and lack of harshness
- thoughtful
stresses consideration of other needs
Usage Note
Focuses on someone character rather than their appearance. The expression 'it is sweet of someone to do something' is a common conversational pattern for appreciating kind acts.
Common Mistakes
6. having a pleasant, fresh, or flowery smell that is usually light and natural.
having a pleasant, fresh, or flowery smell that is usually light and natural.
The sweet smell of jasmine filled the garden on warm summer evenings.
collocation: sweet smell of [flower]
Tunde picked a bunch of sweet roses for the dinner table.
Maya opened the box and a sweet flowery scent drifted into the room.
The morning air was sweet with the fragrance of pine trees after rain.
passive pattern: was sweet with [fragrance/noun]
- sweet smell
- sweet scent
- sweet fragrance
- sweet aroma
Usage Note
Used for natural scents from flowers, fruit, plants, and fresh air. For artificial smells (perfume, air freshener), sweet may imply overly strong or cloying.
be sweet on somebody
idiomTo have romantic feelings for someone.
Tom is sweet on Maya, but he is too shy to tell her.
Are you sweet on Diego? I saw you blushing when he walked in.
have a sweet tooth
idiomTo enjoy eating sugary foods.
Sara has a sweet tooth, so she always orders chocolate cake.
My brother has a sweet tooth and eats candy every day.
home sweet home
idiomAn expression used to say that home is pleasant, sometimes ironically when it is not.
After the long trip, Brian sighed, "Home sweet home."
The apartment was messy, but Aiden smiled and said, "Home sweet home."
To do something at your own pace and in your own manner, often ignoring others' expectations.
Min will finish the project in her own sweet time, no matter what we say.
He paints in his own sweet way, ignoring all the critics.
keep somebody sweet
idiomTo be nice to someone so that they stay in a good mood and help you.
We need to keep the boss sweet if we want a day off next week.
Lily brought cookies to keep her neighbor sweet about the noisy party.
What matters is the nature of something, not what it is called.
Call it a "used car" or "pre-owned vehicle," a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
He argued that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, so the brand name didn't matter.
she’s sweet
idiomEverything is fine or satisfactory.
Don't worry about the test results; she's sweet.
After fixing the leak, the plumber said, "She's sweet now."
short and sweet
idiomBrief and pleasant, often used to describe a speech or event.
The CEO's speech was short and sweet, lasting only five minutes.
Let's keep the meeting short and sweet so everyone can go home early.
Nothing at all; used as a mild substitute for a rude phrase.
I asked for help, but I got sweet FA from the staff.
He knows sweet Fanny Adams about fixing cars.
sweet nothings
idiomRomantic or affectionate words whispered to a loved one.
Diego whispered sweet nothings into his girlfriend's ear.
They sat on the bench, exchanging sweet nothings under the stars.
The satisfying feeling of achieving success.
After years of hard work, Min finally enjoyed the sweet smell of success.
Winning the championship gave the team the sweet smell of success.
sweet — noun
1. a small food item made of sugar or chocolate, usually eaten as a treat.
a small food item made of sugar or chocolate, usually eaten as a treat.
Christopher offered the children a bag of sweets from the corner shop.
plural: a bag of sweets
Mizuki sucked on a sweet while she worked through the maths problems.
singular: a sweet
The little girl's pockets were full of sweets from the birthday party.
Please do not eat sweets right before dinner it will spoil your appetite.
negative imperative: do not eat sweets
- bag of sweets
- sweets shop
- boiled sweet
- fruit sweet
- candy
American English equivalent for small sugar-based food
- confectionery
formal or shop-category term; broader range
Usage Note
This sense is countable and is the ordinary British English word for what American English calls candy. In American English, sweet is not used for individual pieces of candy — use candy instead.
Common Mistakes
2. any kind of food that contains a large amount of sugar, such as candy, cake, or
any kind of food that contains a large amount of sugar, such as candy, cake, or ice cream.
After cutting out salty snacks Bao found his craving for sweets grew stronger.
craving for sweets
The festival offered a wide range of sweets including cakes and pastries.
Faisal's doctor told him to reduce his intake of sweets and sugary drinks.
reduce intake of sweets
Paloma brought a box of assorted sweets to share with her colleagues.
- assorted sweets
- sweets and chocolates
- sugary sweets
- candy
overlaps but candy is more specific; sweets is broader in British English
- confectionery
more formal category term
- savoury food
salty or non-sweet dishes
Usage Note
Often in plural form 'sweets' to refer to sugary foods in general. Overlaps with sense 1 but is broader — includes all sugary foods, not just individual pieces of candy.
3. a sweet course that rounds off a lunch or dinner.
a sweet course that rounds off a lunch or dinner.
For the final course the waiter brought a chocolate sweet with fresh berries.
indefinite article: a chocolate sweet
Salma always saved room for a sweet after dinner no matter how full she felt.
saved room for a sweet
The restaurant's signature sweet is a warm apple tart with vanilla ice cream.
Emily ordered a sweet for the table so everyone could share a taste.
- for sweet
- have a sweet
- chocolate sweet
- choose a sweet
Usage Note
British English uses sweet for what American English calls dessert. In a restaurant context, you may also hear pudding (especially in northern England). The American term dessert is increasingly understood in Britain too.
Common Mistakes
4. the taste that sugar produces on the tongue; the quality of being sweet.
the taste that sugar produces on the tongue; the quality of being sweet.
The natural sweet of the ripe peach needed no added sugar at all.
the natural sweet of [food]
Min detected a faint sweet in the tea even though no honey had been added.
detect a faint sweet
The sweet of honey pairs wonderfully with the tang of fresh lemon juice.
This wine has a pleasant natural sweet that comes from the grapes.
has a pleasant natural sweet
- natural sweet
- pleasant sweet
- faint sweet
- sweet of honey
- sweetness
the more common abstract noun form
- sugariness
rare; describes very high sugar content
- sourness
sharp, acidic taste sensation
- bitterness
sharp, sometimes unpleasant taste
Usage Note
An abstract or semi-abstract noun. Can be modified by adjectives like natural, faint, pleasant, or overwhelming. Do not confuse with the adjective 'sweet' — this sense refers to the sensation itself.
sweet — exclamation
1. said when you feel happy about a piece of news, a success, or something that has
said when you feel happy about a piece of news, a success, or something that has happened.
Sweet! We got tickets to the concert Felix shouted when he read the email.
exclamation as standalone utterance
The mechanic finished the repair and said, 'Sweet! Your car is ready to go.'
Sweet! The package arrived early said Christopher tearing open the box.
Sweet! I finally finished my novel said Tunde after typing the last word.
- Great!
more neutral and widely understood across registers
- Awesome!
similar level of informality; more common in American English
- Brilliant!
British equivalent; slightly less informal
Usage Note
Very informal, used mainly by younger speakers in British and Australian English. Similar in meaning to 'Great!', 'Awesome!', or 'Brilliant!' but less common in writing. Not used in formal situations.
Common Mistakes
sweet — adverb
1. in a way that goes smoothly, easily, or works well without problems.
in a way that goes smoothly, easily, or works well without problems.
Everything went sweet for the project once the team fixed the computer bug.
phrasal verb: go sweet — informal
The new software plays sweet with the older operating system.
phrasal verb: play sweet — compatible
If you follow the instructions the whole setup process should run sweet.
The rehearsal went sweet for the whole band from the very first song.
- go sweet
- play sweet
- run sweet
Usage Note
A poetic or informal substitute for the standard adverb sweetly. Found mainly in informal speech and in lyrics or dialect writing. The standard form sweetly is preferred in most written contexts.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
All four words describe a flavour that reminds you of sugar, but each has a different emphasis. Sugary is the most direct: it means containing a lot of sugar or tasting strongly of it, sometimes in an excessive way ('a sugary breakfast cereal'). Sweetened focuses on the act of adding sugar rather than natural sweetness ('sweetened iced tea'). Honeyed is more literary or figurative; it suggests the thick, rich sweetness of honey and often extends to describe voice or words ('a honeyed tone'). Syrupy implies a thick, heavy sweetness like syrup, and often carries a negative connotation of being cloying or overly sentimental ('a syrupy romantic film'). For everyday situations, sweet is the most neutral and versatile choice. Use sugary when you want to stress the high sugar content, and reserve honeyed for poetic or warm descriptions.
Common collocations
Nouns
- sweet taste
- sweet smell
- sweet sound
- sweet smile
- sweet memory
Adverbs
- very sweet
- so sweet
- incredibly sweet
- pleasantly sweet
Phrases
- short and sweet
- sweet nothings
- sweet on someone
- have a sweet tooth
Prepositions
- sweet to
- sweet with
- sweet of
Etymology
Sweet comes from Old English swēte, which traces back to the Proto-Germanic word *swōtuz. This root has relatives across Germanic languages: German süß, Dutch zoet, and Swedish söt. Going further back, the Proto-Indo-European root *swéh₂dus meant 'pleasant' or 'tasty' — a meaning that survives in the Latin suādēre (to persuade, recommend) and the Sanskrit svādú (tasty, sweet). The word has been used for the sugar taste since the earliest English records, and its metaphorical meanings — kind, pleasant, dear — developed already in Old English times.