sweeten

IPA/ˈswiːtn/
KK[swˈitən]IPA/ˈswiːtn/

sweeten — verb

  • sweetenpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • sweetenshe / she / it
  • sweetenedpast simple
  • sweetening-ing form

1. to add sugar, honey, or another sweet substance to food or drink so that it tast

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to add sugar, honey, or another sweet substance to food or drink so that it tastes sweeter.

例句

Antonia sweetened her coffee with a spoonful of honey instead of sugar.

sweeten + noun phrase with [sweetener]

The recipe says you can sweeten the sauce by adding a little brown sugar.

同義詞
  • sugar

    more specific — only adding sugar, while 'sweeten' covers honey, syrup, etc.

  • honey

    very specific — used only when the sweetener is honey

反義詞
  • sour

    to make something taste sour, the opposite of sweetening

文法句型

sweeten + noun phrase (tea, coffee, a sauce)

用法筆記

The object is typically a food or drink (tea, coffee, sauce, yoghurt). The sweetener is introduced with the preposition 'with'.

常見錯誤

❌I sweetened the soup with salt.
✅I sweetened the soup with honey.
💡'sweeten' means to add something that tastes sweet, not any seasoning.

2. to add something extra or desirable to an offer, deal, or arrangement so that it

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to add something extra or desirable to an offer, deal, or arrangement so that it becomes more appealing or acceptable to the other person.

例句

The car dealer sweetened the deal by offering free servicing for the first year.

collocation: sweeten the deal

Bao sweetened the rental contract by agreeing to pay for all utility bills.

同義詞
  • improve

    broader in meaning — does not carry the idea of adding a small extra benefit

  • enhance

    more formal, often used for abstract qualities like reputation or value

反義詞
  • worsen

    to make a situation less attractive or acceptable

文法句型

sweeten + noun phrase (a deal, an offer, a contract)

用法筆記

Common in business and negotiation contexts. The object is typically 'deal', 'offer', 'proposal', 'contract', or 'package'. The added benefit follows 'with' or 'by [verb]ing'.

常見錯誤

❌They sweetened the product by making it cheaper.
✅They sweetened the deal by offering a discount.
💡'sweeten' is used with agreements and offers, not with physical products.

3. to cause someone to become more friendly or agreeable towards you, often by offe

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

to cause someone to become more friendly or agreeable towards you, often by offering a small gift or saying something pleasant to them.

例句

Hamza bought his mother a scarf to sweeten her mood before telling her the news.

collocation: sweeten [someone's] mood

João sweetened up his boss with a compliment before asking for an early leave.

phrasal use: sweeten [someone] up

同義詞
  • soften up

    more direct and slightly more informal; 'sweeten up' sounds friendlier and less strategic

  • butter up

    very informal and implies flattery rather than genuine kindness

反義詞
  • annoy

    to make someone feel irritated, the opposite of improving their mood

  • anger

    to make someone angry

文法句型

sweeten + someone + up

sweeten + someone's + mood/attitude

用法筆記

Often used with the particle 'up' (sweeten someone up) to emphasise coaxing or preparing someone before making a request. Common in informal, everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌She sweetened him with kind words.
✅She sweetened him up with kind words.
💡In conversational English, add 'up' after 'sweeten' when talking about improving someone's mood or making them more cooperative.