Idioms with the word Sweet (Real Examples + Video)

Native speakers use idioms, a lot! Learning idioms can help you sound more natural in conversation. I collected 18 common idioms with the word sweet and included clear definitions and example sentences. Start using these idioms right away. 

  1. A Rose By Any Other Name (Would Smell As Sweet)
  2. A Sweet Tooth
  3. Be Short And Sweet
  4. Be Sweet On (One)
  5. Forbidden Fruit is Sweetest
  6. Home Sweet Home
  7. Revenge Is Sweet
  8. (As) Sweet As Honey Or (As) Sweet As Sugar
  9. Sweet Deal
  10. Sweet Dreams
  11. Sweet Nothings
  12. Sweet Sixteen
  13. Sweet Talk
  14. The Sweet Science
  15. Take Your (Own) Sweet Time
  16. (Hit) The Sweet Spot
  17. You (Can) Bet Your (Sweet) Ass
  18. BONUS Like A Kid In A Candy Store

You will also find different ways to use sweet as both an adjective and a noun. Keep reading! 

4 More SWEET 🍬Idioms to Spice Up...
4 More SWEET 🍬Idioms to Spice Up Your Speech!

Sweet meaning

The meaning of sweet

The word sweet can be both an adjective and a noun. Please read the following definitions and examples sentences. 

Sweet – adjective

For food and drink
​ 1. containing, or tasting as if it contains, a lot of sugar

  • I make my own energy bars. They are healthy and not too sweet
  • Birthday cake is very sweet. That’s why kids love it. 
I think everyone loves birthday cake because it's so sweet.

2. making you feel happy (and/or satisfied)

  • It’s time for bed. Sweet dreams.

3. attractive

  • That actress is so sweet. I have her photo on my computer. 

4. kind
having or showing a kind character

  • Everyone likes Shelly, she’s sweet and easy to talk to. 

5. good
Sweet! (especially North American English, informal) used to show that you approve of something

  • Free tickets? Sweet! Who are you going to take? 
  • Your new TV is sweet! It’s huge. Let’s watch a movie. 

sweet_adjective – OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com 

Sweet – noun 

candy or other sugary treats
[countable] plural sweets 

  • Eating too many sweets is bad for your teeth.  
  • I saved up my allowance and bought a bag of sweets from the store. I have to hide it from my little sister, she will steal everything if she finds them! 
There's a candy store near my house with a huge variety of sweets, everything from gummy bears to lollipops.

sweet noun – OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com 

Idioms with SWEET (Definitions and Examples)

Idioms with Sweet

A Rose By Any Other Name (Would Smell As Sweet)

The name given to something does not tell or indicate what it really is. A rose is still a beautiful sweet smelling flower no matter what we call it. 

This Idiom is often shortened to A rose by any other name to express to someone that a change in name is not important, the true nature of something is what matters.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” is a popular adage from William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, in which Juliet seems to argue that it does not matter that Romeo is from her family’s rival house of Montague. SOURCE.

A: Hey Kirk, congratulations on your new promotion.
B: It’s a promotion in title only, I didn’t even get a raise or a new office. A rose by any other name

A Sweet Tooth
If someone has a sweet tooth it means they love cookies, cakes, and candy. Anything sweet. 

  • My uncle Lance has a sweet tooth. He always keeps chocolate bars in his desk drawer, for emergencies. 
  • Every time Marcus goes downtown he goes to the candy store. That guy has a real sweet tooth.

Be Short And Sweet

To be brief but effective

  • It’s almost 5:00 so let’s keep this meeting short and sweet
  • When I give a presentation at school I always try to keep it short and sweet so that no one gets bored.

Be Sweet On (Someone)

If you are sweet on someone it means you like them, you think they’re attractive 

  • I think Michelle is sweet on you, you should ask her out.
  • I can tell he’s sweet on her by the way he blushes every time she’s around. 
Lisa wants to go back to the bar on Main Street tonight. I think she is sweet on the new bartender.

Forbidden Fruit is Sweetest
If something is not permitted or is illegal we want to do it even more

  • A: Brenda and I have been secretly dating for the last 3 months.
    B: Dating coworkers is against company policy. 
    A: Yeah, I know we’re not supposed to do it but forbidden fruit is the sweetest
forbidden fruit is the sweetest

Home Sweet Home
This expression is used to show one’s pleasure and good feelings after returning home, especially after a long time away 

  • Home sweet home. Nothing feels better than sleeping in your own bed after a business trip. 

Revenge Is Sweet
Getting revenge on someone (paying them back for bad things they did to you in the past) feels good

  • I scored three goals against the team that cut me at the start of the season. They said I wasn’t ‘good enough.’ Revenge is sweet. 

Did You Know?

Sugar does not spoil, it never goes bad! Also, every kind of plant contains sugar. SOURCE

(As) Sweet As Honey Or (As) Sweet As Sugar
very sweet – If someone or something is as sweet as honey or as sweet as sugar we are saying that thing is very sweet. In the same way that honey and sugar are very sweet. 

  • You will love Olivia. She’s smart and kind and sweet as honey

Sweet Deal
A good deal, a transaction that is good for you

  • I just got a new car.  I bought it from a leasing company and they gave me a sweet deal. It’s only two years old but it’s half the original price. 
  • There is a sweet deal on Apple AirPods right now. You get a $60 rebate if you buy them on Amazon.

Sweet Dreams
You wish someone sweet dreams before they go to bed. You hope they dream about nice things.

  • A: Good night, I’m off to bed.
    B: Sweet dreams.

Sweet Nothings
Kind and flattering things that someone says to a romantic partner that they love 

  • He held her close and whispered sweet nothings in her ear. 
  • Derick’s wife always loves it when he tells her sweet nothings before she leaves for work. It’s the perfect way to start your day.

Sweet Sixteen
When a girl turns 16 years old we call the occasion her sweet sixteen

  • I remember I had a huge party with all my friends for my sweet sixteen.

Sweet Talk

Flattering speech that is meant to influence someone or bring them to your side of an issue

  • I didn’t want to do it, but she sweet-talked me into it. 
  • Larry is good at sweet-talking politicians to get big government contracts for his company.

The Sweet Science
Boxing is sometimes called the sweet science

  • When you watch older Muhammad Ali fights you can understand why it’s called the sweet science. The way he moves is so precise.

Take One’s (Own) Sweet Time

At your own relaxed pace, typically slower than usual

  • It’s after 2:00 Lester, you took your sweet time to get back from lunch break. 
  • I worked really hard to get this project finished but my boss sure took his sweet time to thank me or give me any credit.
Try these other popular Idiom posts on my blog!
10 Idioms with PIG (Learn FAST with pictures and examples)
https://worldenglishblog.com/2019-happy-new-year-10-idioms-with-pig/ 

10 Common Idioms with Rats and Mice (Real example sentences)
https://worldenglishblog.com/rats-and-mice-idiom/ 

Idiom$ About MONEY (120 Common English Financial Idioms)
https://worldenglishblog.com/idioms-about-money/

(Hit) The Sweet Spot

① The area on a bat, racket, or club that hits the ball in the most effective way

  • The batter stepped up to the plate and connected on the first pitch. The ball hit the sweet spot on the bat and went out of the park. Home run.
My new driver is great. I can hit 
the sweet spot every time.

② a location or combination of characteristics that produces the best results

  • My seats for the movie were right in the sweet spot. Near the center of the row and not too close to the screen that it hurts your neck, or too close to the top we are looking down for 2 hours. 

Source

You (Can) Bet Your (Sweet) Ass
(Very informal) Absolutely. You can be so confident that something will happen that you can bet your own ass. It’s like a guarantee. 

  • A: Are you coming to the party on Friday?

B: You can bet your sweet ass I’ll be there, I’ve been waiting for this party all year! 

BONUS Idiom

Like A Kid In A Candy Store
If someone feels like a kid in a candy store can you imagine how they feel? They must be incredibly happy!
I included this idiom on the list because I’ve heard people once or twice say this expression as happy as a kid in a sweet shop, but for me, in a candy store is much more common. 

  • Kenji is a huge fan of anime. At the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo, he felt like a kid in a candy store.
a kid in a candy store

Sweet Idioms In the NEWS

Sweet Idioms In the NEWS

5 Strawberry Banana Desserts To Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
This news article has 5 recipes for desserts made from bananas and strawberries. 

Short and sweet: Christchurch’s first snow in nearly a decade
The story is about the first time snow has fallen in Christchurch, New Zealand in almost 10 years. 

Donating old denim jeans comes with a sweet deal
Gap Philippines brings back its ‘Recycle Your Blues’ campaign.

Home sweet home: Asian leopard cats thrive in Mekong basin
The story is about a species of leopard that is a size of a house cat. 

Man gets sweet revenge on complaining neighbour during late-night walk

The TikToker said his neighbor keeps complaining his car is too loud.

Walking 10K a day is a health sweet spot, study finds
Walking can reduce the risks of dementia, cancer, and heart disease – and any number of steps is better than none

If you can think of some idioms that I left out, please tell me in the comments!

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