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.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
More sun means more sugar in the grapes, which will mean higher alcohol content.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Around 2018, it became clear that semaglutide didn’t just help people with diabetes better manage their blood sugar.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
If you haven’t heard, these don’t contain a scrap of sugar!
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
People who lowered their protein intake lost weight and body fat and showed improvements in fasting blood sugar, despite often consuming more total calories.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026
“Ugh, the rotties tricked me again. Took the sugar and ran.”
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Sugar is often added to drinks for mouthfeel and to cover up the off-putting tastes of functional ingredients.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026
Jack Klein, a Trump voter and environmental consultant in Sugar Land, Texas, near Houston, said Trump’s performance “exceeds my highest expectations.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● 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 is the one character who can’t easily be traced back to an earlier model.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
Sugar was the product of the slave and the addiction of the poor factory worker—the meeting place of the barbarism of overseers such as Thomas Thistlewood and the rigid new economy.
From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson
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
The study highlights the complexity of nutrient sensing in the body and suggests that even simple sugars can have distinct effects on the gut, the brain, and behavior.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 26, 2026
Similarly, packaged pancakes and waffles are filled with sugars and are often ultraprocessed, loaded with harmful additives.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 21, 2026
"Any transport delay can risk ruining the batch. If it takes longer than 24 hours, the internal sugars begin to rot and ferment unpredictably, destroying the delicate flavour profile needed for premium spirits," says Dhariwal.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
“Do you want me to get it for you? Black with two sugars, right?”
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
"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
I park myself in the upholstered rocker strategically in between the little bowl of sugared pecans and the cookie tin containing the most Kanelkakor.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 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
“While he can wag a finger as vigorously as the rest of his Boomer cohort, gentleness and twinkle have always sugared the Croz pill,” Eccleston wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 19, 2023
On top of the fridge stood tonight’s pudding: a huge mound of whipped cream and sugared violets.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
"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
The University of New Hampshire has a hotline for maple sugaring questions.
From New York Times ● Apr. 7, 2021
Besides, there wasn’t going to be very much more sugaring.
From "Miracles on Maple Hill" by Virginia Sorensen
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.
