a sweet, crystalline substance, C 1 2 H 2 2 O 1 1 , obtained chiefly from the juice of the sugarcane and the sugar beet, and present in sorghum, maple sap, etc.: used extensively as an ingredient and flavoring of certain foods and as a fermenting agent in the manufacture of certain alcoholic beverages; sucrose.
Chemistry. a member of the same class of carbohydrates, as lactose, glucose, or fructose.
(sometimes initial capital letter) an affectionate or familiar term of address, as to a child or a romantic partner (sometimes offensive when used to strangers, casual acquaintances, subordinates, etc., especially by a male to a female).
a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter S.
Slang. money.
Slang. LSD
to cover, sprinkle, mix, or sweeten with sugar.
to make agreeable.
to form sugar or sugar crystals.
to make maple sugar.
Also called: sucrose, saccharose. a white crystalline sweet carbohydrate, a disaccharide, found in many plants and extracted from sugar cane and sugar beet: it is used esp as a sweetening agent in food and drinks. Formula: C 12 H 22 O 11
any of a class of simple water-soluble carbohydrates, such as sucrose, lactose, and fructose
informal a term of affection, esp for one's sweetheart
rare a slang word for money
a slang name for LSD
(tr) to add sugar to; make sweet
(tr) to cover or sprinkle with sugar
(intr) to produce sugar
to make something unpleasant more agreeable by adding something pleasant
the government stopped wage increases but sugared the pill by reducing taxes
1250–1300; Middle English sugre, sucre (noun) < Middle French sucre < Medieval Latin succārum < Italian zucchero < Arabic sukkar; obscurely akin to Persian shakar, Greek sákcharon ( see sacchar-)
Sugar is the sweet stuff that makes candy and other treats extra delicious, but eating too much of it is bad for you. Sugar isn’t only a food, it’s also an essential part of living cells and a source of energy for all animals. There are two main senses of sugar. First is refined sugar — the crystals that sweeten and preserve many foods. This yummy stuff comes from the sugarcane and sugar beet plants, and really hit the scene in the 18th and 19th centuries when sugar plantations spread and more people could get sugar. The other kind of sugar refers to biochemistry, and these sugars are an important part of the cells of all living things.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“According to him, they had handcuffed him and given him a sugar test for diabetes,” said Fairchild’s stepmother, Denise Fairchild.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Some protein powders contain high amounts of added sugar, artificial ingredients, and hidden stimulants.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
Mice with reduced PD-L2 activity also showed improvements in their ability to process sugar and demonstrated greater grip strength, suggesting that targeting the protein could influence physical functions affected by aging.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
Start by knowing your numbers, like your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
"Tell me your secret, Kendra. Please? Pretty please? With sugar on top?"
From "Scream for Ice Cream: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #2" by Carolyn Keene
The landmark Domino Sugar factory was gut-renovated and now serves as offices for over 30 A.I. and tech firms.
From Slate ● Sep. 6, 2026
Sugar prices climbed 11.9% on month in August to their highest level since June 2025.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Sugar prices have jumped nearly 40% in the past two months, prompting the government to import 1 million tonnes for the first time in nearly a decade.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
After hitting the stage to perform in Sugar Hill, Ga., on Friday, the Poison lead singer was advised he needed more time to recuperate from recent surgeries.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
While Bat was double-checking the lock on his bike outside the Sugar Shack, he heard someone say his name.
From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold
Behind the bar, yeast busily converted sugars into alcohol inside giant stainless steel fermentation tanks.
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
Means demanded stricter limits on added sugars, protein in breakfasts and 100% whole grain products, changes that roughly quadrupled the cost.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
"An hour or two of exposure is enough to trigger glycosylation, or the binding of smoke to the sugars in the grapes," said oenology consultant Clement Prelat, who is advising winemakers in the area.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
Sodha says that limiting each plant to 750ml of water a day produces "rich, highly concentrated sugars and aromas instead of water-logged, bland fruits".
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
“I take two sugars and a giant glug of cream. How do you drink it?”
From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart
"Nah, nah, nah. I used to use sugared hot water, before the days of hair lacquer. And I couldn't afford hair lacquer, anyway."
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2025
We won’t know until a few scenes later that Adeyemi and Tremblay are both angling for the big seat, but it doesn’t take much to recognize the burnt sugared scorn in that opening volley.
From Salon ● Nov. 22, 2024
Takeout: The Much Ado About Stuffing pickup feast includes a 14-pound natural turkey ready to roast in your oven, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, brown sugared yams, roasted Brussels sprouts and roasted delicata squash.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 15, 2023
Dip each in the turbinado sugar to coat one side; set sugared side up on the prepared baking sheet, nine per sheet.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 15, 2023
He entered another stretch of time, and now, lying snugly on his tongue, was a sugared almond, whose sweetness belonged to another world.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
"The sugaring season has come early this year and is still underway," he said.
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2024
Stewart's "Daily Show" begat the version of late-night that holds sway over much of TV today: headline-driven segments sugaring information and politics with comedy.
From Salon ● Jun. 9, 2023
But she soon found that before she could provide services for clients, and earn more, she was required to attend trainings on such things as sugaring to remove unwanted hair and lash and brow maintenance.
From Reuters ● Oct. 17, 2022
Maple sugaring can be complicated, but they are plenty of resources for hobbyists.
From New York Times ● Apr. 7, 2021
They’d looked delicious hanging from the tree’s branches, but cut up into pieces, they emitted an aroma unlike anything he’d ever smelled before—the scent was intensely sweet, almost sugaring the very air around it.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
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