Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Having the pleasant taste characteristic of sugar or honey: The primary meaning, describing a taste sensation that is not sour, salty, or bitter.
   • Pleasing to the senses, especially smell or hearing: Describing something that is fragrant, melodious, or otherwise pleasant to perceive.
   • Kind, pleasant, and likable: Describing a person's character, disposition, or actions as gentle, agreeable, or charming.
   • Pleasing and satisfying to the mind or feelings: Describing something that brings pleasure, satisfaction, or gratification.
   • Not salt or sour; fresh: Used to describe fresh water (as opposed to saltwater) or fresh, unspoiled food (e.g., milk).

2. Noun:

   • A small piece of sweet food, typically made with sugar or chocolate: A confectionery item like a candy or piece of chocolate.
   • A sweet dish forming the last course of a meal; dessert: The final course of a meal, often a pudding, cake, or fruit.
   • The quality or taste of sweetness: The abstract property of being sweet.
   • (Sweetness) Pleasing and agreeable experiences or things: Often used in the plural ("sweets") to refer to the enjoyable aspects of life.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • This mango is very sweet. (Describing taste)
  • The garden was filled with the sweet scent of roses. (Describing smell)
  • She has a very sweet nature and is always helping others. (Describing character)
  • Revenge is sweet. (Describing a satisfying feeling)
  • We need sweet water for the aquarium, not seawater. (Describing fresh water)

• Noun:

  • Would you like a sweet? I have some mints. (Referring to a candy)
  • For sweet, we have apple pie or ice cream. (Referring to dessert)
  • The sweet of the honey contrasted with the tartness of the lemon. (Referring to the taste quality)
  • He enjoyed the sweets of success after years of hard work. (Referring to pleasures)

Advanced Usage

• "To be sweet on someone" (idiomatic, somewhat old-fashioned): To be fond of or infatuated with someone.
  • I think he's sweet on the new girl in class.
• "To have a sweet tooth" (idiom): To have a great liking for sweet foods.
  • I can't resist cake; I have a real sweet tooth.
• "At one's own sweet will" (idiom): According to one's own wishes or pace, without hurry or pressure.
  • You can explore the museum at your own sweet will.

Variants and Related Words

• Sweeten (verb): To make something sweet.
  • She sweetened her tea with a spoonful of honey.
• Sweetly (adverb): In a sweet manner.
  • The child smiled sweetly at her grandmother.
• Sweetness (noun): The quality of being sweet.
  • The sweetness of her voice was captivating.

Synonyms

• Adjective (taste): Sugary, honeyed, saccharine.
• Adjective (smell): Fragrant, perfumed, aromatic.
• Adjective (character): Kind, gentle, agreeable, charming.
• Noun (food): Candy, dessert, pudding.

Antonyms

• Adjective (taste): Sour, bitter, savory.
• Adjective (character): Mean, unpleasant, disagreeable.
• Noun (concept): Bitterness.

Related Idioms

• "Home sweet home": A phrase expressing pleasure and comfort upon returning to one's own home.
  • After a long trip, it's good to be back in home sweet home.
• "Sweet nothings": Loving words whispered between romantic partners, often trivial but affectionate.
  • They were whispering sweet nothings to each other.
• "The sweet smell of success": The satisfying feeling of having achieved something.
  • Winning the award, he finally experienced the sweet smell of success.

Adjective

1. with sweetening added
2. not soured or preserved
   • sweet milk
3. not containing or composed of salt water
   • fresh water
4. (used of wines) having a high residual sugar content
   • sweet dessert wines
5. having a natural fragrance
   • odoriferous spices
   • the odorous air of the orchard
   • the perfumed air of June
   • scented flowers
6. pleasing to the mind or feeling
   • sweet revenge
7. pleasing to the senses
   • the sweet song of the lark
   • the sweet face of a child
8. pleasing to the ear
   • the dulcet tones of the cello
9. having a sweet nature befitting an angel or cherub
   • an angelic smile
   • a cherubic face
   • looking so seraphic when he slept
   • a sweet disposition
10. having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

Noun

1. the property of tasting as if it contains sugar
2. the taste experience when sugar dissolves in the mouth
3. a food rich in sugar
4. a dish served as the last course of a meal
5. English phonetician; one of the founders of modern phonetics (1845-1912)

Adverb

1. in an affectionate or loving manner (`sweet' is sometimes a poetic or informal variant of `sweetly')
   • Susan Hayward plays the wife sharply and sweetly
   • how sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank- Shakespeare
   • talking sweet to each other