- An informal expression conveying approval, satisfaction, or agreement.
- Similar in meaning to cool, nice, or great, often used for things that are pleasing, fortunate, or agreeable.
Explanation
Origin
- Derived from the positive sensory experience of sweet taste.
- Its slang usage for general approval emerged in American English, likely mid-20th century, becoming particularly popular among youth from the 70s onwards.
- Associates the pleasantness of sweetness with a positive reaction to a situation or item.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Cool.
- Nice.
- Awesome.
- Dope.
- Sick.
- Rad. (Dated)
- Wicked. (Regional)
- Choice. (NZ/Aus slang, means excellent)
- Mint. (UK slang, means excellent)
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- Fuck yeah!
- Fucking sweet!
- Hell yeah!
Milder/Standard:
- Great.
- Cool.
- Nice.
- Excellent.
- Wonderful.
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal.
- Very common in casual conversation, especially among friends and peers.
- Avoid in formal business or academic settings.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Unlikely to be misunderstood in context; clearly informal and positive.
- Its casual nature might be inappropriate in formal contexts.
Examples
- I got us front-row tickets! / Sweet!
- The meeting is cancelled. / Sweet. (Expressing relief/satisfaction)
- Check out my new skateboard. / Sweet ride!
- Here's that $20 I owed you. / Oh, sweet, thanks!
Dialogue
Social Media Examples
- Comment on a picture of a cool gadget: Sweet setup!
- Reply to good news: Just passed my exam! -> Friend: Sweet! Congrats!
- Tweet: Found $10 in my old jeans. Sweet! #smallwins
Response Patterns
- A positive reaction or acknowledgement of good news, a nice item, or an agreeable arrangement.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After hearing Sweet!:
- Often followed by a related action or comment: Sweet! Let's go! or Sweet! Thanks for getting them.
- Sometimes just signals the end of that exchange: Sweet. (Moves on).
Conversation Starter
- No.
- It's a response.
Intonation
- Often said with enthusiasm, a falling tone, and stress on the word: SWEET!
- Can also be used more casually with a lower pitch and less energy, similar to a relaxed Cool.
Generation Differences
- Widely used, particularly common among people currently aged ~15-50 (Millennials, Gen Z, younger Gen X).
- Its peak popularity might have been late 90s/early 00s, but it remains very current and understood by most. Older generations might use it less.
Regional Variations
- Primarily North American (US/Canada) in origin and frequency, but widely understood and increasingly used in other regions like the UK and Australia.