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

The series quickly grew from there, evolving Nikki’s wardrobe options, putting her in heated competition with other stylists, and adding expansive storylines that blended saccharine fantasy with surprisingly dark themes. —Josh Broadwell, Rolling Stone, 4 Dec. 2024

After hopping over to the CW for its next five seasons, Supergirl had to distinguish itself more sharply against its Arrowverse peers, giving its superheroics an earnest social justice streak that was occasionally saccharine but usually infused with just enough charm to carry the day. —Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024

Rêve slightly breaks the mold with notes of plum butter and toasted almond, giving the scent an overall delectable, juicy vibe without being overly saccharine. —Karina Hoshikawa, refinery29.com, 28 Oct. 2024

Every mini-adventure is neatly aligned with one another, and even the predictably sweet ending is saved from becoming too saccharine by a callback to the many, many shades of white available for a dryer. —Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 29 Sep. 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