aspartame

American  

[uh-spahr-teym, a-spahr-, as-per-teym] / əˈspɑr teɪm, æˈspɑr-, ˈæs pərˌteɪm /

noun

1. a white, crystalline, odorless, slightly water-soluble noncarbohydrate powder, C 14 H 18 N 2 O 5 , synthesized from amino acids, that is 150–200 times as sweet as sugar: used as a low-calorie sugar substitute in soft drinks, table sweeteners, and other food products.

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aspartame British  

/ əˈspɑːˌteɪm /

noun

1. an artificial sweetener produced from aspartic acid. Formula: C 14 H 18 N 2 O 5

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aspartame Scientific  

/ ăs′pər-tām′,ə-spär′- /

1. An artificial sweetener formed from aspartic acid. Chemical formula: C ₁₄ H ₁₈ N ₂ O ₅ .

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Etymology

Origin of aspartame

1970–75; aspart(yl phenyl)a(linine) m(ethyl) e(ster) , the powder's chemical name

Explanation

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener. If you're avoiding sugar, you might try adding aspartame to your coffee. Aspartame may sound like asparagus, but it's much sweeter: super sweet, in fact. The main purpose of aspartame is to sweeten things as an alternative to sugar. Since aspartame has no calories, that's attractive to people trying to lose weight. People with conditions such as diabetes also need to avoid sugar. Aspartame is found in sugar substitutes at the coffee shop as well as in many diet foods and drinks. Just how healthy aspartame is remains a subject for debate.

Example Sentences

They advise against consuming nonnutritive sweeteners, such as aspartame and sucralose.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 7, 2026

Trump is a regular drinker of Diet Coke - which uses the artificial sweetener aspartame.

From BBC • Jul. 16, 2025

Whereas humans have one receptor on their tongues that can detect all sorts of sweet things, from real sugar to artificial sweeteners like aspartame, insects have many receptors that each detect specific types of sugars.

From Science Daily • Mar. 6, 2024

In a slushy, intense sweeteners, such as aspartame, won't work as it is a very intense sweetener being 200 times sweeter than sugar.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2024

Meanwhile, the agency warned the American Beverage Association about posts that tout the safety of aspartame, a sweetener found in diet soda and countless other foods.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 15, 2023