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Synonyms

sweetie

American  
[swee-tee] / ˈswi ti /

noun

  • sweeties
    plural
  1. Informal. sweetheart.

  2. British. Usually sweeties. candy; sweets.


sweetie British  
/ ˈswiːtɪ /

noun

  1. sweetheart; darling: used as a term of endearment

  2. another word for sweet

  3. an endearing person

  4. a large seedless variety of grapefruit which has a green to yellow rind and juicy sweet pulp

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of sweetie

First recorded in 1695–1705; sweet + -ie

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:

"Whenever we went around, there would always be a tin of sweets that would come out. We knew them as the sweetie great-grandparents," he said.

From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2026

But Tony P. is not without controversy, even if he’s a sweetie.

From Slate ● Dec. 17, 2024

And I was like, “Yeah, sweetie, it was just a hard movie”; it was a hard thing that happened in life and it was a hard thing to portray and I’m so proud of it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2023

“There’s no more ‘Oh sweetie, you’re fine,’” Dr. Auguste said.

From New York Times ● May 28, 2023

She said, “Would you like more zucchini, sweetie pie?” and “Did I make enough potatoes, honey bun?”

From "Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech

James remembers the shop used to give sweeties to children as they waited with their parents for meat - now those children are the adults, bringing their own families in.

From BBC ● Feb. 28, 2026

The real-life inspiration for furry inhabitants of Endor, Brussels griffons are wiry-coated playful sweeties with a sensitive side.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2025

My earliest childhood memory is of me propped up on the sofa, too small to move, and my granny Coralie bringing sweeties home.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 19, 2018

When Sergio Leone cast Henry Fonda as a villain in Once Upon a Time in the West, the actor was best known for playing humble good guys and soft-spoken sweeties.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2015

There are thank-yous and hugs and Happy birthday, sweeties and Be careful out theres and good-byes.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

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