From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsweetensweet‧en /ˈswiːtn/ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]SWEET to make something sweeter, or become sweeter Sweeten the mixture with a little honey.2 [transitive] (also sweeten somebody ↔ up) informalPERSUADE to try to persuade someone to do what you want, by giving them presents or money or promising them something a cash bonus to sweeten the deal → sweetener(2)3 [transitive] literaryKIND to make someone kinder, gentler etc Old age had not sweetened her. → sweeten the pill at pill1(3)→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
sweeten• Sprinkle sugar onto the cooked fruit to sweeten it.• Mattel Inc. is expected to sweeten its offer.• a can of sweetened milk• The good light of it came down through the curve of the windscreen, sweetening my bitterness.• Probably honey was used originally to sweeten the apples instead of sugar.• A delivery of butter pecan or Neapolitan might sweeten the deal.• Add just enough sugar to sweeten the fruit slightly.• To sweeten the pill, the government will try to boost the flagging economy in various ways.• Special offers sweeten the pot for those who wish to depart.• They sweeten the spring air of the Great Plains and the Northwest.• They are harvested after frost, the cold sweetening their flavor.• Stir a little honey in to sweeten when ready to eat.From Longman Business Dictionarysweetensweet‧en /ˈswiːtn/ verb [transitive] to make an offer, suggestion etc seem more attractive in order to encourage someone to accept itThe airlinesweetened itsoffer to $235 million.The British auto maker has sweetened its customer incentives by adding credit facilities.→ See Verb table 