Library / English Dictionary

SWEETEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make sweeter, more pleasant, or more agreeable

Example:

sweeten a deal

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "sweeten" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

sweetener (anything that serves as an enticement)

sweetening (an improvement that makes something more agreeable)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make sweeter in taste

Synonyms:

dulcify; dulcorate; edulcorate; sweeten

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "sweeten" is one way to...):

change taste (alter the flavor of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sweeten"):

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)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Antonym:

sour (make sour or more sour)

Derivation:

sweetener (something added to foods to make them taste sweeter)

sweetening (the act of adding a sweetener to food)

sweetening (something added to foods to make them taste sweeter)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The charm of adventure sweetens that sensation, the glow of pride warms it; but then the throb of fear disturbs it; and fear with me became predominant when half-an-hour elapsed and still I was alone.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

In contrast, the consumption of artificially sweetened (diet) beverages was not associated with a risk of cancer, but the authors warn that caution is needed in interpreting this finding owing to a relatively low consumption level in this sample.

(Possible link found between sugary drinks, cancer, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

It is not well understood why drinking artificially sweetened beverages compared to drinking water may increase obesity risk.

(Drinking diet beverages during pregnancy linked to child obesity, NIH)

Although fruit juices are not as harmful as sugar-sweetened beverages, consumption should be moderated in both children and adults, especially for individuals who attempt to control their body weight.

(Sugary Fruit Juices May Increase Risk of Early Death, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Daily consumption of sugary drinks (sugar sweetened beverages and 100% fruit juices) and artificially sweetened (diet) beverages were calculated and first cases of cancer reported by participants were validated by medical records and linked with health insurance national databases.

(Possible link found between sugary drinks, cancer, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

However, women who substituted water for sweetened beverages reduced their children’s obesity risk at age 7 by 17 percent.

(Drinking diet beverages during pregnancy linked to child obesity, NIH)

The researchers found that those who drank the most sugar-sweetened beverages—including 100% fruit juice—had higher odds of dying during the study, compared with those who drank the least of these.

(Sugary Fruit Juices May Increase Risk of Early Death, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

So a team of researchers based in France set out to assess the associations between the consumption of sugary drinks (sugar sweetened beverages and 100% fruit juices), artificially sweetened (diet) beverages, and risk of overall cancer, as well as breast, prostate, and bowel (colorectal) cancers.

(Possible link found between sugary drinks, cancer, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Consuming a daily artificially sweetened beverage appeared to offer no advantages over consuming a daily sugar-sweetened beverage.

(Drinking diet beverages during pregnancy linked to child obesity, NIH)

Efforts to decrease consumption of sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages should also include fruit juices, and these efforts need to include adults as well as children.

(Sugary Fruit Juices May Increase Risk of Early Death, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)