saccharine

adjective

sac·​cha·​rine ˈsa-k(ə-)rən  -kə-ˌrēn  -kə-ˌrīn 

1

a

: of, relating to, or resembling that of sugar

saccharine taste

b

: yielding or containing sugar

saccharine vegetables

2

: overly or sickishly sweet

saccharine flavor

3

: ingratiatingly or affectedly agreeable or friendly

4

: overly sentimental : mawkish

a saccharine love story

saccharinity

ˌsa-kə-ˈri-nə-tē 

noun

Synonyms

• chocolate-box
• cloying
• corny
• drippy
• fruity
• gooey
• lovey-dovey
• maudlin
• mawkish
• mushy
• novelettish
• sappy
• schmaltzy
• sentimental
• sloppy
• slushy
• soppy
• soupy
• spoony
• spooney
• sticky
• sugarcoated
• sugary
• wet

Examples of saccharine in a Sentence

the movie was funny, but it had a saccharine ending in which everyone lives happily ever after

Recent Examples on the Web

But the berry and cream churro topped with cream cheese frosting and pink sprinkles proved a bit too saccharine for most in the group. —Cindy Carcamo, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2024

And culture needs things to push against as well; would there have been grunge without the saccharine scenes of cultural entities like Sweet Valley High? —Fiorella Valdesolo, Vogue, 31 July 2024

No time to hold in your throat the saccharine weight of idle conversation. —Hazlitt, 31 July 2024

Throughout her career, Dion has faced criticism for being too saccharine, too formulaic, not sophisticated enough or sufficiently in charge of her creative output. —Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 26 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin saccharum

First Known Use

circa 1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

saccharine

adjective

sac·​cha·​rine ˈsak-(ə-)rən 

-ə-ˌrēn,

-ə-ˌrīn

1

a

: of, relating to, or resembling sugar or its characteristics

saccharine taste

b

: producing or containing sugar

saccharine fluids

2

: overly sweet

a saccharine smile

Medical Definition

saccharine

adjective

sac·​cha·​rine

ˈsak-(ə-)rən also -ə-ˌrēn or -ə-ˌrīn

1

a

: of, relating to, or resembling that of sugar

saccharine taste

b

: yielding or containing sugar

a saccharine fluid

2

: overly or sickeningly sweet

saccharine flavor