sweeten

/ˈswitn/

/ˈswitɪn/

Other forms: sweetened; sweetening; sweetens

When you sweeten something, you make it taste sweeter. To sweeten your lemonade, just add more sugar.

To literally sweeten something, like your muffin recipe or a cup of tea, all you need to do is add something that tastes sweet, like honey, molasses, sugar, or even apple juice. When you figuratively sweeten something, you make it more appealing or acceptable. The phrase "sweeten the pot" or "sweeten the deal" comes from poker, in which it means to add more bets (or money) to the game.

Definitions of sweeten

1. verb

   make sweeter in taste
   synonyms: dulcify, dulcorate, edulcorate

   antonyms:

   sour

   make sour or more sour

   types:

   honey

   sweeten with honey

   saccharify, sugar

   sweeten with sugar

   candy, glaze, sugarcoat

   coat with something sweet, such as a hard sugar glaze

   mull

   heat with sugar and spices to make a hot drink

   type of:

   change taste

   alter the flavor of
2. verb

   make sweeter, more pleasant, or more agreeable
   “sweeten a deal”

   type of:

   alter, change, modify

   cause to change; make different; cause a transformation