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sweetener

American  
[sweet-n-er] / ˈswit n ər /

noun

  1. something that sweetens, as sugar or a low-calorie synthetic product used instead of sugar.

  2. an added inducement.

    such sweeteners as tax breaks and low-cost loans.
sweetener British  
/ ˈswiːtənə /

noun

  1. a sweetening agent, esp one that does not contain sugar

  2. informal a bribe

  3. informal a financial inducement

"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 sweetener

First recorded in 1640–50; sweeten + -er 1

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.

Adobe shareholders received a sweetener late Tuesday as the company’s board of directors authorized a $25 billion stock buyback program.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

High-fructose corn syrup, a much-criticized sweetener, is disappearing from places you wouldn’t have even thought to look for it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

So after intensive talks over the Christmas period, a deal has been thrashed out, which seems to chiefly revolve around the sweetener of contract reform.

From BBC • Jan. 9, 2026

I recommend enjoying it with a splash or two of your favorite creamer or sweetener.

From Salon • Nov. 6, 2025

Mom pours milk into her mug, then opens a packet of sweetener and sprinkles it in.

From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson

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.