sugar

sugar — noun

IPA/ˈʃʊɡə(r)/
KK[ʃˈʊɡɚ]IPA/ˈʃʊɡər/
  • sugarsingular
  • sugarsplural

1. a sweet-tasting ingredient that comes in small grains or powder and is produced

1.nounA1
Definition

a sweet-tasting ingredient that comes in small grains or powder and is produced from specific crops to add sweetness to meals and beverages

Example

Do you take sugar in your coffee every morning?

uncountable: 'sugar' as a mass noun in drinks

Élise stirred a spoonful of brown sugar into her oatmeal.

brown sugar as a common type

Common collocations
  • brown sugar
  • white sugar
  • raw sugar
  • refined sugar
  • powdered sugar
  • add sugar
  • stir in sugar
  • sprinkle sugar
  • reduce sugar
  • cut sugar
  • a spoonful of sugar
  • a pinch of sugar
  • sugar bowl
  • sugar cane
  • sugar beet
Synonyms
  • sweetener

    any substance that makes food or drink taste sweet, including artificial ones; broader than 'sugar'

  • sucrose

    the chemical name for the specific type of sugar found in sugarcane and sugar beet; used in scientific contexts

Antonyms
  • salt

    a salty seasoning rather than a sweet one; opposite taste category

Usage Note

Sugar is an uncountable noun when referring to the substance as a whole. Do not say 'a sugar' for the general substance — that is only used in sense 4 (a unit of sugar).

Common Mistakes

Can I have a sugar in my tea?' (when meaning the substance).
Can I have some sugar in my tea?
use 'some' or a quantity word for the uncountable substance sense.

2. one of several kinds of sweet-tasting chemical found in living things, used by t

2.nounB2
Definition

one of several kinds of sweet-tasting chemical found in living things, used by the body to produce energy

Example

Fruit contains natural sugars that give you energy without the crash.

natural vs. refined sugar distinction

Tomás learned about glucose and fructose in his biology class.

Common collocations
  • blood sugar
  • added sugar
  • natural sugar
  • simple sugar
  • sugar level
  • sugar content
  • reduce sugar intake
  • high in sugar
  • low in sugar
  • hidden sugar
Synonyms
  • carbohydrate

    a broader category that includes sugars, starches, and fiber; 'sugar' is one type of carbohydrate

  • glucose

    a specific simple sugar that is the main energy source for cells; more technical

  • fructose

    a specific simple sugar found naturally in fruit; more technical

Usage Note

In this sense, 'sugar' can be countable ('simple sugars' refers to different types) or uncountable ('sugar occurs naturally in fruit'). 'Blood sugar' is a fixed health collocation — it is uncountable and always singular.

Common Mistakes

Fruit has a lot of sugars.' (when referring to fruit as a whole).
Fruit contains natural sugars.
when speaking generally about types, use the plural; when referring to the general component, use uncountable 'sugar'.

3. a word used when speaking in a warm, friendly way to somebody you feel close to,

3.nounB2
Definition

a word used when speaking in a warm, friendly way to somebody you feel close to, like 'dear' or 'sweetheart'

Example

Don't worry, sugar, everything is going to be just fine.

informal affectionate address

Naoko smiled warmly and said, "Thanks for carrying my bags, sugar!"

Synonyms
  • sweetheart

    more widely used as a term of endearment across regions; similar in meaning

  • dear

    common in British English; less regional than 'sugar'

  • honey

    similar register and usage; popular in American English

Grammar Patterns

used as a form of address

Usage Note

Used mainly in informal American and Southern U.S. speech. It can sound friendly or patronising depending on the context and relationship. Not common in British English — British speakers are more likely to use 'love' or 'dear'.

Common Mistakes

Using 'sugar' to address a stranger in a formal setting (e.g., a business meeting).
Reserve this for people you have a close or friendly relationship with, or in very casual service encounters (e.g., a diner).

4. a single serving of sugar, for example one spoonful or one cube, put into a hot

4.nounA2
Definition

a single serving of sugar, for example one spoonful or one cube, put into a hot drink

Example

How many sugars do you take in your tea?

countable: 'how many sugars' in drinks

Adina takes two sugars in her coffee every morning.

Common collocations
  • one sugar
  • two sugars
  • how many sugars
  • packet of sugar
  • sugar cube
  • a spoonful of sugar

Usage Note

In this sense 'sugar' is a countable noun and can be used with numbers: 'one sugar', 'two sugars', etc. This is the only sense where 'a sugar' is correct and natural. The unit is usually a teaspoonful, a cube, or a small packet — the exact amount depends on context.

Common Mistakes

I need three sugars for my cooking.' (when referring to cups of sugar).
I need three cups of sugar for the baking.
'sugars' as a countable unit is only used for individual servings in hot drinks, not for bulk cooking.
Idioms

sugar daddy

idiom

an older man who spends a lot of money on a younger person, usually a woman, in exchange for companionship or a romantic relationship

Arjun joked that his generous uncle was acting like a sugar daddy when he bought his niece a car.

The movie tells the story of a college student who meets a wealthy sugar daddy online.

sugar coat

idiom

to make something unpleasant seem more acceptable or attractive by the way you describe it

The manager did not sugar coat the bad news — she told the team exactly how serious the problem was.

There is no way to sugar coat the truth about the company's financial difficulties.

sugar — exclamation

IPA/ˈʃʊɡ.ər/
KK[ʃˈʊɡɚ]IPA/ˈʃʊɡ.ɚ/

sugar — verb

IPA/ˈʃʊɡ.ər/
KK[ʃˈʊɡɚ]IPA/ˈʃʊɡ.ɚ/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to things that make food or drink sweet, but they differ in source and usage. 'Sugar' specifically refers to the crystalline substance from sugarcane or sugar beet — the most common household sweetener. 'Sweetener' is the broadest term, covering any substance that adds sweetness, including artificial ones like aspartame or stevia. 'Sucrose' is the chemical name for the specific molecule that makes up table sugar; it is used in science and food labelling but rarely in everyday speech. 'Honey' is a natural sweetener made by bees, thicker than sugar and with its own distinct flavour — people say 'honey in tea' but not 'honey in coffee' as a default. 'Syrup' is a thick, liquid sweetener made from sugar dissolved in water or from plant saps like maple syrup. For everyday cooking and drinks, 'sugar' is the default word; the others are chosen when a specific source, texture, or flavour is intended.

sweetener ↗sucrose ↗honey ↗syrup ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • cut down on sugar
  • high in sugar
  • low in sugar
  • no added sugar
  • blood sugar
  • sugar rush
  • sugar crash

Prepositions

Etymology

SanskritPersianArabicMedieval LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'sugar' entered English through a long trade route. It comes from Old French 'sucre', which came from Medieval Latin 'succarum', borrowed from Arabic 'sukkar'. The Arabic word itself came from Persian 'shakar', which traces back to Sanskrit 'śarkarā', meaning 'grit, gravel, or ground sugar'. The original Sanskrit word referred to small grains or pebbles before it came to mean crystallised sugar — a fitting origin, since early sugar was a coarse, grainy substance.