ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sweetened

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈswitənd// UK //swˈiːtənd// sweet·ened
Definition

adj. describes food or drink that has had sugar or another substance added to make it taste sweet.

adj. modified by the addition of sugar, honey, or a synthetic sweetener to enhance palatability. Often used as a participial adjective in culinary contexts.


SIMPLE

I prefer sweetened yogurt to the plain kind.

CONTEXTUAL

The recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk to give the dessert its thick, creamy texture.

COMPLEX

While the original recipe was quite bitter, the modern version uses sweetened cocoa solids to appeal to a broader consumer demographic.

Origin

From sweeten + -ed.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun; can be modified by degree adverbs like 'heavily' or 'lightly'.

Last updated May 11, 2026