saccharine

[ sak-er-in, -uh-reen, -uh-rahyn ]

adjective

1. of the nature of or resembling that of sugar:

   a powdery substance with a saccharine taste.

2. containing or yielding sugar.
3. very sweet to the taste; sugary:

   a saccharine dessert.

4. cloyingly agreeable or ingratiating:

   a saccharine personality.

5. exaggeratedly sweet or sentimental:

   a saccharine smile; a saccharine song of undying love.

saccharine

/ -ˌriːn; ˈsækəˌraɪn; ˌsækəˈrɪnɪtɪ /

adjective

1. excessively sweet; sugary

   a saccharine smile

2. of, relating to, of the nature of, or containing sugar or saccharin

Derived Forms

• ˈsaccharinely, adverb
• saccharinity, noun

Other Words From

• saccha·rine·ly adverb
• sac·cha·rin·i·ty [sak-, uh, -, rin, -i-tee], noun
• non·saccha·rine adjective noun
• nonsac·cha·rini·ty noun
• un·saccha·rine adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of saccharine¹

First recorded in 1665–75; sacchar- + -ine ¹

Example Sentences

Their debut, “Thee Sacred Souls,” dealt heavily in romantic love, occasionally veering into the saccharine, while “Got a Story to Tell” is often reflective and philosophical.

From Los Angeles Times

"There’s little of the saccharine baggage of the average musical, no romance, no learning life lessons, no big introspective moments."

From BBC

There I met a pair of busty identical twins who were hawking the most saccharine perfume I’d ever smelled.

From Los Angeles Times

A bow, however saccharine, is symbolic and powerful.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s only when Clement brings his flair that this film has anything worth paying attention to, because he’s the dash of acid that offsets this otherwise totally saccharine and sappy story about embracing imagination.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cloying
• sentimental
• syrupy
• twee