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sweet spot

American  
[sweet spot] / ˈswit ˌspɒt /

noun

  1. Sports. the spot on a club, racket, bat, etc., where a ball is most effectively hit.

  2. a point, range, or particular set of conditions that will achieve the most desirable or effective outcome.

    The trick is finding the sweet spot between making the puzzle challenging but not impossible.


sweet spot British  

noun

  1. sport the centre area of a racquet, golf club, etc, from which the cleanest shots are made

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sweet spot

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

She found her acting sweet spot with the film “Waitress,” where her pie server/baker character was also that later Russell specialty, a woman with secrets.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 5, 2026

The scientific research suggests that the sweet spot for caffeinated coffee consumption is generally between two and four cups a day.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 20, 2026

This outbreak seems to be in the sweet spot where a really bad outcome is possible if you get infected, but you’re probably going to be OK.

From Slate Jul. 17, 2026

“For us, the sweet spot is … the customer gets comfy enough that even if they don’t check it, it’s being handled for them just like if they use a human financial adviser,” Norcliffe said.

From MarketWatch Jul. 14, 2026

“This would be a sweet spot for a music video.”

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

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