sugar

Small sweet crystals added to food or drinks; also an amount added to one drink.

• I like tea without sugar.
• Add a spoonful of sugar to the mixture.
• How many sugars do you take in coffee?

Common phrases: sugar in tea, spoonful of sugar, two sugar cubes, white sugar

A bowl or other container holding the sweet crystals people add to food and drinks.

• Please pass the sugar.
• She put the sugar beside the teapot.
• Could you bring the sugar from the kitchen?

Similar words: sugar bowl

Common phrases: pass the sugar, bring the sugar, sugar on table

To add sweet crystals to food or a drink to make it sweeter.

• I never sugar my tea.
• He sugared the berries and added cream.
• Have you already sugared the coffee?

How to use it: sugar something (She sugared her coffee before tasting it.)

Similar words: sweeten

Common phrases: sugar your coffee, sugar the berries, sugar the tea

To make unpleasant words or facts seem kinder or easier to accept.

• She tried to sugar the bad news.
• He sugared his harsh words with a smile.
• No amount of praise could sugar that cruel message.

How to use it: sugar something with something (He sugared his criticism with a little praise.)

Similar words: sugarcoat, soften

Common phrases: sugar the truth, sugar bitter words, sugar the news

Used to show annoyance or disappointment without using a strong swear word.

• Sugar! I forgot my keys.
• Oh, sugar! The bus has already left.
• Sugar! I have spilled coffee on my shirt.

Similar words: darn

Common phrases: oh sugar, sugar not again