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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Lifestyle factors — such as diet, sleep, regular exercise, managing blood pressure and blood sugar, avoiding tobacco and alcohol — can reduce the risk of dementia by up to 45%, Tan said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
Cook the carrots: Cook the carrot, butter, brown sugar, zest and salt over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and jammy.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
This measurement reflects the amount of sugar in the blood after an eight- to 12-hour fast.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring sugar molecule in the body and is known as a "moisture magnet" as it grabs hold of water.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
This is what I eat for breakfast every single day: hot rolled oats with raisins and milk, no sugar.
From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan
He led the SEC in passing yardage, piled up 30 touchdowns and single-handedly carried Ole Miss to a historic comeback win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
British Sugar said all employees at Cantley could be affected and that discussions would begin with Unite, the workers' recognised union, and other employee representatives.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Sugar is often added to drinks for mouthfeel and to cover up the off-putting tastes of functional ingredients.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026
Two years ago, Sugar began as a stylish and moody homage to the black-and-white films of the 1940s and ’50s.
From Slate ● Jun. 30, 2026
Sugar snowflakes drifted from the sweet balloons in the Taste Tower, but Ella didn't pause to try to catch them on her tongue.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
A food can taste sweet because it contains sugar, a low-calorie sweetener, or naturally occurring sugars.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 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
During photosynthesis, plants use sunlight to convert CO2 and water into sugars while releasing oxygen back into the atmosphere.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026
A large store of proteins and sugars must be present to mop up the poison and wring it from the body.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
"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
You can whip a bit more cream and make a few more sugared cranberries to top each one.
From Salon ● Dec. 19, 2024
Generations of rockers would strive to replicate the sugared hard rock of the Raspberries but Carmen wound up softening his attack after he parted ways with the group.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2024
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
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
The profitability of maple sugaring depends heavily on yields of actual syrup, which certainly hinges on the actual number of days that hover at the cusp of freezing temperatures.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2022
But just know, he said, there’s a high chance you’ll catch the maple sugaring bug — and won’t be able to stop there.
From New York Times ● Apr. 7, 2021
The family sugaring place was at the other end of the island.
From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
